21 days remain before the Arizona Cardinals open the 2025 regular season against the New Orleans Saints. The No. 21 jersey has a storied lineage in Arizona, worn by cornerbacks and running backs across decades. Patrick Peterson wore it through the 2011–2020 era, a period that defined the position and left a Hall of Fame-level imprint. Today Garrett Williams carries the number in his third NFL season, guiding a young Cardinals secondary and continuing a thread of speed, ball skills, and versatility that has threaded through the franchise since the 1940s. The countdown highlights the jersey as more than a uniform—it's a symbol of defensive identity and a potential fantasy lever as Arizona faces a test in New Orleans.

Across generations, No. 21 has appeared on a list of Cardinals defenders and playmakers—from Hamza Abdullah and Antrel Rolle to Renaldo Hill, Dexter Davis, Mark Jackson, and beyond—each contributing in eras with different rosters and schemes. The piece weaves the historical weight with contemporary evaluation: Williams embodies the current carryover, Peterson’s legacy looms as a benchmark, and the Saints’ Week 1 matchup could crystallize how the No. 21 torch is passed in 2025. For fantasy managers, the jersey’s history signals both pedigree and opportunity in a young secondary that could produce tackles, passes defended, and occasional turnovers as the defense settles in under pressure.