The Arizona Cardinals are having a fascinating 2026 season – both on and off-the-field.
This includes for former kicker Jay Feely, who spent the last several months in a campaign for higher office.
Feely, a player from the Cardinals from 2010-13, originally ran for congress in Arizona’s 5th district. He then opted to change the running district to the first district. The 50-year-old won the primary, coincidentally running against the former team doctor of the New York Jets during his time with the franchise in the process.
Feely’s efforts eventually fell short, as the AP, NBC News, and other outlets are declaring Amish Shah as the winner as of Thursday morning. Read more below on how Feely’s run directly ties to the Cardinals organization at the moment.
Feely Saw Much Support From Cardinals’ Ownership
The longtime NFL player took his connections in the league and used them to his advantage. This includes donations from figures such as current coaches Kevin O’Connell (Minnesota Vikings) and John Harbaugh (New York Giants).
The most glaring support from Cardinals fans comes from owner Michael Bidwill. Bidwill supplied the Feely campaign with $5,200 (Front Office Sports).
This might frustrate fans of the organization from a completely apolitical perspective. The 61-year-old has been the principle leader of the organization since 2019. This arguably coincides with the franchise becoming even more tight-pocketed than previously under his father, Bill.
Frustration in association with this connects to Bidwill’s willingness to fund outside endeavors, but not the Cardinals’ organization. Arizona frequently placed at the bottom of the NFL in the yearly NFLPA report cards before the practice was put on ice. This includes under the guise of not being a family-friendly organization, as well as not sufficiently accommodating players.
Why is Bidwill so willing to go to great lengths for former players, but not current ones?
This question furthers when seeing the lengths Bidwill went to in order to accommodate Feely and other former players at Larry Fitzgerald’s Ring of Honor ceremony.
How Feely’s Career Connects to Arizona Now
Feely’s 85.2% field goal conversion rate during his time in Arizona was decent enough. He became a respectable figure in the locker room as well, despite having the reputation of holding a large ego.
The binder of this included performances such as a 25-point game against the Denver Broncos in 2010.
Unfortunately, the notorious Bidwill reputation for being “penny-pinchers” arguably came into play here. He was the victim of a release before the 2014 season in favor of rookie Chandler Catanzaro.
This reputation continues to haunt the Cardinals as of 2026. A recent case of this lack of foresight is in restructuring Jacoby Brissett’s contract to include a raise. Bidwill was willing to pay up for eight games of Brissett, but wasn’t in order to sign a high-profile free agent such as DT Milton Williams.
Whether this strange connection to Feely plagues the Cardinals moving forward is uncertain. However, history doesn’t paint a rosy picture that things will change anytime soon.
How Jay Feely’s Congressional Defeat Reflects the Cardinals’ Current Issues