| Team: | Arizona Cardinals |
| Year: | 2000 |
| Record: | 3–13 |
| Division Place: | 5th NFC East |
| Coach: | Vince Tobin Dave McGinnis |
| Owner: | Bill Bidwill |
| Stadium: | Sun Devil Stadium |
| Playoffs: | Did not qualify |
| Pro Bowlers: | P Scott Player[1] |
| Shortnavlink: | Cardinals seasons |
The 2000 season was the Arizona Cardinals' 81st season in the National Football League (NFL), their 102nd overall and their 13th in Arizona. The Cardinals ranked 24th in the NFL in total offense and 30th in total defense.[2] The Cardinals ranked last in the NFC in Takeaways/Giveaways with a rating of −24.[2]
The Cardinals surrendered 443 points in 2000, the second-worst in the NFL that season, and second-worst in franchise history.[3] Arizona's minus-233 point differential is the worst in team history.[4]
Two of the Cardinals' three victories came by one point each, and they were 0–8 on the road. Following the most lopsided of those eight road losses, 48–7 at Dallas in week eight, coach Vince Tobin was fired, ending his tenure in the desert after 4½ seasons with a 29–44 record. Defensive coordinator Dave McGinnis was named interim coach, and he held the job through the end of the 2003 season. The 3–13 mark would be matched in 2018.
The Cardinals suffered through their poorest season since the 1970 AFL–NFL merger, eclipsing the 4–12 marks of 1991, 1992, 1995 and 1997. The Cardinals also went 4–9–1 in 1971, 1972 and 1973, and 4–11–1 in 1986, and would suffer through another 4–12 campaign in 2003.
| Position | Player | 1999 team | Date signed | Contract | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PK | February 28 | Undisclosed | |||
| G | April 20 | 2 years | |||
| C | February 19 | 4 years, $8.6 million | |||
| DT | June 9 | 2 years |
| Position | Player | Designation | Date signed | Contract | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DB | UFA | July 22 | |||
| QB | UFA | February 22 | 2 years | ||
| TE | UFA | April 28 | Undisclosed | ||
| DE | UFA | May 23 | Undisclosed | ||
| OL | UFA | February 22 | 3 years | ||
| TE | Other | February 23 | Undisclosed | ||
| LB | UFA | Undisclosed | |||
| LB | UFA | February 24 | 3 years | ||
| DT | UFA | March 29 | 2 years | ||
| DT | RFA | June 28 | Undisclosed |
| Position | Player | Reason | 2000 team |
|---|---|---|---|
| RB | Released | Detroit Lions | |
| OT | UFA | Carolina Panthers | |
| C | UFA | Kansas City Chiefs | |
| TE | UFA | Minnesota Vikings | |
| RB | UFA | Washington Redskins | |
| LB | UFA | Indianapolis Colts | |
| DE | Released | Carolina Panthers | |
See main article: article and 2000 NFL draft.
| Deke Cooper | Safety | Notre Dame | |
| Renard Cox | Cornerback | Maryland | |
| Greg Debolt | Punter | Pittsburgh | |
| Bryan Gilmore | Wide receiver | Midwestern State | |
| Sean Keenan | Quarterback | Williams | |
| Matt Keller | Fullback | Ohio State | |
| John Shoemaker | Wide receiver | UC Davis | |
| Jordan Younger | Cornerback | UConn |
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Denver Broncos | L 17–31 | 0–1 | Sun Devil Stadium | ||
| 2 | Seattle Seahawks | W 21–3 | 1–1 | Sun Devil Stadium | ||
| 3 | at Minnesota Vikings | L 17–35 | 1–2 | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | ||
| 4 | at San Diego Chargers | L 20–24 | 1–3 | Qualcomm Stadium |
On December 18, Dave McGinnis was named as the 38th head coach in franchise history. He had been interim coach since October 23, when Vince Tobin was fired.[5]
| Week | Date | Opponent | Result | Record | Venue | Attendance | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | September 3 | at New York Giants | L 16–21 | 0–1 | Giants Stadium | 77,434 | |
| 2 | September 10 | Dallas Cowboys | W 32–31 | 1–1 | Sun Devil Stadium | 66,008 | |
| 3 | Bye | ||||||
| 4 | September 24 | Green Bay Packers | L 3–29 | 1–2 | Sun Devil Stadium | 71,801 | |
| 5 | October 1 | at San Francisco 49ers | L 20–27 | 1–3 | 3Com Park | 66,985 | |
| 6 | October 8 | Cleveland Browns | W 29–21 | 2–3 | Sun Devil Stadium | 44,296 | |
| 7 | October 15 | Philadelphia Eagles | L 14–33 | 2–4 | Sun Devil Stadium | 38,293 | |
| 8 | October 22 | at Dallas Cowboys | L 7–48 | 2–5 | Texas Stadium | 62,981 | |
| 9 | October 29 | New Orleans Saints | L 10–21 | 2–6 | Sun Devil Stadium | 35,286 | |
| 10 | November 5 | Washington Redskins | W 16–15 | 3–6 | Sun Devil Stadium | 52,244 | |
| 11 | November 12 | at Minnesota Vikings | L 14–31 | 3–7 | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome | 64,223 | |
| 12 | November 19 | at Philadelphia Eagles | L 9–34 | 3–8 | Veterans Stadium | 65,356 | |
| 13 | November 26 | New York Giants | L 7–31 | 3–9 | Sun Devil Stadium | 42,094 | |
| 14 | December 3 | at Cincinnati Bengals | L 13–24 | 3–10 | Paul Brown Stadium | 50,289 | |
| 15 | December 10 | at Jacksonville Jaguars | L 10–44 | 3–11 | Alltel Stadium | 53,472 | |
| 16 | December 17 | Baltimore Ravens | L 7–13 | 3–12 | Sun Devil Stadium | 37,452 | |
| 17 | December 24 | at Washington Redskins | L 3–20 | 3–13 | FedExField | 65,711 | |