The Arizona Cardinals have been dealt a harsh reminder of their current standing in the NFL: zero primetime games for the 2026 season. Despite boasting young stars like All-Pro tight end Trey McBride, electrifying rookie running back Jeremiyah Love, and wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr., the team will be relegated to the late-afternoon time slot for 13 of their games. No Sunday night, no Monday night, no Thursday night—just a quiet schedule that speaks louder than any highlight reel.

This marks the first time since 2023, the season of head coach Jonathan Gannon's debut, that the Cardinals won't appear in a nationally televised game. And the contrast with their NFC West rivals is stark. The Seattle Seahawks, Los Angeles Rams, and San Francisco 49ers combined for 18 primetime slots, yet Arizona couldn't secure even one. For a franchise that once commanded the national spotlight, the message is clear: the league and its viewers have moved on.

Much of the blame has fallen on owner Michael Bidwill, who has been at the helm since 2019. Under his watch, the Cardinals have posted a losing record in all but one of the past 10 seasons, accumulating the fifth-most losses in the NFL over that span (102). The team hasn't finished above .500 since 2021, and before that, you have to go back to 2015. Consistency? Only in disappointment.

The situation is compounded by poor marks in the annual NFLPA report cards, where the organization has ranked among the league's worst for facilities and player treatment. Between the on-field struggles and off-field dissatisfaction, the Cardinals are quickly becoming an afterthought—a team that fans outside of Arizona barely notice, lumped in with other historically struggling franchises.

Now, new head coach Mike LaFleur steps into the same hot seat that Gannon once occupied. He inherits a roster with undeniable talent but a culture that needs a complete overhaul. The draft picks are exciting, but excitement alone doesn't sell tickets or earn primetime slots. If LaFleur can't engineer a turnaround in short order, the Cardinals risk fading even further into irrelevance—and that's a game no one wants to watch.