The legend of the Pottsville Maroons curse on the Arizona Cardinals football franchise continues to grow. And more people are now convinced the Cardinals, thieves of the 1925 NFL Championship, are absolutely cursed.
How could they not?
In the last 3 weeks, Cardinals fans have seen a season’s worth of misfortunes. Yet, somehow, the Cardinals – losers of 3 straight games – have clinched a playoff berth this season. But if they want to get beyond the first round of the postseason tournament, they’re going to need to lift the curse that’s so very obviously hanging over the team.
Legend of Pottsville Maroons Curse on Arizona Cardinals Grows
If you don’t believe in curses, you may want to reconsider when you hear what’s happened to the Cardinals in recent weeks. They’ve done everything they can to lose games and in the process, have lost the services of one of the best wide receivers in football.
All this started just days after the Cardinals won their 10th game of the season, 33-22 over the Bears, improving to 10-2 and owners of the best record in football. ESPN Daily Podcast host Pablo Torre invited The Breaker Boys author David Flemming on his show.
Flemming’s book details the history and controversy surrounding the Pottsville Maroons. He explained to Torre how the Cardinals are cursed because they’re laying claim to the 1925 NFL Championship, which many believe was stolen from the Maroons.
So, on the podcast, Flemming explains why Cards fans shouldn’t get too excited about the team’s 10-2 start to the season. He says the curse will prevent them from potentially winning the Super Bowl.
Well, it appears Flemming can see into the future. Right after he reinvigorated the legend of the Maroons and their curse on the Cardinals, the team has gone south in a hurry.
ALSO READ: ESPN Podcast Features Story of Pottsville Maroons and the Arizona Cardinals Curse
Cards are 0-3 Since ESPN Podcast
Let’s look at the wave of misfortune that’s consumed the Cardinals in recent weeks:
- Week 14 vs. LA Rams: Cardinals lose to the division rival Rams, 30-23.
- Week 15 vs. Detroit Lions: Cardinals are humiliated by the league’s worst team, 30-12.
- Week 16 vs. Indianapolis Colts: Cards lose 3rd straight game, 22-16, dropping out of NFC West lead.
But it wasn’t just the losses – 3 of them, in a row – that shows the Cardinals are clearly cursed.
Dig deeper into the headlines and you’ll see that some strange and unfortunate things are beginning to pile against the Cards this year, like every year in its past.
STAR RECEIVER OUT: In the Rams game, star wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins was injured. He limped off the field late in the game. A second opinion on the injury revealed he’s got a “badly torn” MCL, according to an NFL.com report, and is expected to miss the rest of the regular season and potentially into the playoffs.
THEY LOST TO THE LIONS: For the first time in NFL history, a team with 10 wins lost to a team with 1 win. That’s a lot of NFL history to account for, as the Cardinals should well know, of course. And it’s not just that the Cardinals lost to the Lions, it’s that they were obliterated by the Lions.
DOINK!: During the Cards latest loss, the team’s usually reliable kicker Matt Prater missed 2 field goals and an extra point in a 6-point loss. Add that up and you get the difference, plus 1. That included this field goal attempt for the lead in the 4th quarter:
Cardinals for the lead… Doink
pic.twitter.com/2gYuINRlNf— Barstool Sportsbook (@BSSportsbook) December 26, 2021
We weighed in on the kick, too:
Missed 2 FGs and a PAT in the same game? Hmmm … one would think the @AZcardinals are cursed or something. If only there were a way to break it. #PottsvilleMaroons
— Coal Region Canary 🐤 (@HardCoalCanary) December 26, 2021
Doinked kicks are apparently not a new thing for Cardinals fans either. Check out this tweet from earlier in the season from a fan who’s clearly been there and done that a few times in his fandom lifetime:
The sound of the NFL FG doink brings back bad Cardinals memories.
— Stu (@SunsFanStu) October 4, 2021
Of course, let’s not forget that the Colts game featured Carson Wentz torching the Cardinals defense, especially late in the game. When’s the last time you’ve seen that happen?
You really know your team is cursed when Carson Wentz starts connecting downfield on your defense.
— Coal Region Canary 🐤 (@HardCoalCanary) December 26, 2021
So, to recap, since the podcast went live on ESPN, the Cardinals went from a 10-2 team that looked tough to beat to a 10-5 team many believe will be a one-and-done team in the playoffs. They’ve lost their star wide receiver, likely for the season, and their quarterback is playing his most erratic football of his short career.
Also, don’t forget … they lost to the LIONS!
Cardinals Fans Starting to Believe Their Team is Actually Cursed
The podcast appearance definitely renewed interest in the Pottsville Maroons story and it didn’t go unnoticed by Cardinals fans online. And they seem to now rue the day it was aired. Some are even suggesting the Cards’ ownership do the right thing and return the 1925 Championship they claim is theirs to its rightful owners, the Pottsville Maroons.
ESPN Daily podcast host Torre definitely noticed what’s happening:
👀 The Arizona Cardinals were in first place when we released this episode of #ESPNDaily with @FlemESPN. They have since lost 3 straight. 🗣🗣🗣 POTTSVILLE STAND UP
— Pablo S. Torre (@PabloTorre) December 26, 2021
This fan thinks it’s time to give back the title, at least maybe:
I bring this up from time to time, but maybe–just MAYBE it's time to give Pottsville back their championship. 😬 https://t.co/YlYFu48A4M
— Sue H (@azmadame_x) December 26, 2021
And this blue check mark Twitter user even took the Lord’s name in vain to express the frustration:
Give Pottsville their title back for Christ’s sake
— Derek Montilla (@Cap_Kaveman) December 26, 2021
This fan says it’s time to “break the curse” and give Pottsville its title back:
Just finished the @PHNX_Cardinals podcast ep about the Pottsville Maroons, and I have been swayed to the side of the RIGHTFUL 1925 NFL champions. Do the right thing, break the curse! @AZCardinals @NFL @MBidwill @nflcommish
— Albert Godlesky (@AGodlessKey) December 24, 2021
One of our dedicated readers also chimed in:
Give the Pottsville Maroons back their 1925 Championship
— Harry Doyle's Burner Account (@danzig5101) December 23, 2021
Here are some more fan reactions to the curse and them realizing it’s very real:
We all know until your ownership gives Pottsville their championship back you will always be cursed
— Pinknightmarereturns (@pinknightmare42) December 20, 2021
So are the Cardinals just having a little trouble lately or is the curse of the Pottsville Maroons' showing up early this year.
— Mathew Maciolek (@MathewMaciolek) December 20, 2021
This one came during that loss to the Lions:
Hey, uh, Arizona Cardinals… had enough? You're losing 24-3 to the Detroit Lions, the worst team in the NFL, going into the 4th qtr. Don't you think it's time to give the NFL Championship Trophy back to the Pottsville Maroons & end the curse? https://t.co/zAOz0B304V
— kurtsh (@kurtsh) December 19, 2021
So did this. “We are all Pottsville today”:
We are all Pottsville today https://t.co/eMFexWbJeN
— Amy Chapman (@amyrchapman) December 19, 2021
It goes on. There are at least a handful of tweets a day discussing the likelihood that the Cardinals are, indeed, cursed by the Pottsville Maroons. And many suggest it may be time to do the right thing and give the Maroons their title.
Even the Barstool Big Cat tried taking credit for the curse on the Cardinals but fans are saying “Nope, it’s the Maroons.”
The Cardinals are already cursed by the Pottsville Maroons and have the longest championship drought in sports. You can’t double curse a single curse when the original curse is so strong. Nice try.
— Erik (@OzzyinAZ) December 20, 2021
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