I have always been of the mindset that NFL players are the most responsible for creating their teams’ cultures. GMs and coaches certainly help set the team’s expectations, but their success is always predicated on the kind of players they build the team around.
In my opinion, the Cardinals experienced a culture shock when JJ Watt arrived as an unrestricted free agent in 2021. From day one, Watt did all of the right things to help enhance the Cardinals’ culture —- the honor he paid on a daily basis to Pat Tillman by frequently visiting Pat’s locker and reveling in his legacy was inspirational —- the way Watt made the Cardinals’ training facility (warts and all) his home by day was exemplary —- he quickly became a pied piper by taking other players under his wing and showing them first-hand how to condition their bodies and how to prepare their minds for each step of the NFL journey —-the reason why we know Watt’s impact was immediate, go back and look at Game 1 at Tennessee and how he set the tone for what turned out to be a record 7-0 start —- and look at how difficult it was for the Cardinals to win without him after he tore up his shoulder on an all-out hustle play.