During Sport For Impact’s annual Super Bowl luncheon in San Francisco, Arizona Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill and the organization received the first-ever Sport For Impact Legacy Award. The award recognizes an NFL coach, club, or owner who has made a significant and lasting impact in their community.
Anquan Boldin, a former Cardinals player and founder of Sport For Impact, presented the award. He highlighted the team’s history of leadership and inclusion: “Mike Bidwill comes from a long line of leaders,” Boldin said. He pointed out that the Cardinals had the first female owner in NFL history, the first Black general manager-head coach combination with Rod Graves and Dennis Green, a focus on supporting people with special needs, and now run the Civics Matters program to help develop future leaders.
Bidwill is also part of the NFL’s social justice committee, which includes both owners and players. Boldin noted that working with this group broadened his perspective: “Players are doing great work, but they aren’t the only ones doing great work,” he said.
Accepting the honor, Bidwill stated: “As (President) Ronald Reagan once said, ‘We’re just one generation away from losing our freedom.’ It’s so important to teach kids to use civil discourse, use all the tools we have as Americans to make change. On behalf of the Cardinals, I’m so proud to accept this, and Anquan, I’m so proud of you and the other players who are working on change in communities throughout the United States.”
Boldin helped found the Players Coalition to promote activism among athletes after their playing careers. Sport For Impact was created to further support athletes’ community efforts.
Other honorees at the event included newly inducted Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald—who also moderated one of the discussions—and fellow Hall of Famer Anthony Munoz. Cardinals offensive lineman Kelvin Beachum attended as well; he is recognized as his team’s Walter Payton Man of the Year.
The Arizona Cardinals play home games in Glendale and represent the greater Phoenix area in Arizona. They are part of the NFC West division in the National Football League and are recognized as the oldest continuously operating professional football franchise in the United States. The team began in Chicago in 1898 and has earned championships including an NFC title in 2008.