Arizona Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill is recovering from his diagnosis of COVID-19. He was recently released from the hospital after testing positive for the coronavirus, which he apparently caught while traveling and spending time on the East Coast, according to the team. Bidwill has been working remotely since the Cardinals closed their facilities in March.
“This week I learned first-hand just how serious COVID-19 is,” Bidwill said in a statement. “My immense appreciation for all those on the front lines of this pandemic has only increased and I am particularly grateful to the tremendous nurses and doctors at Newport (R.I.) Hospital. Bidwill went on to say he appreciated the “kindness from the Red Sea as well as so many friends and colleagues in Arizona and throughout the country.” He finished the statement by saying he’s happy to put the experience behind him and advised everyone to “continue practicing the important measures to avoid it themselves.”
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The Cardinals said Bidwill developed symptoms and then went for a test which came back positive. His doctor recommended he admit himself to the hospital, but the symptoms have subsided enough to where he could be released. Bidwill has not had any contract with coaches, players or staff members.
Bidwill, 55, originally joined the Cardinals in 1996 as the team’s vice president/general counsel. His father, Bill Bidwill was the owner of the Cardinals from 1962 to his death in 2019. Michael Bidwill added the title of chairman after his father’s death.
“Our dad passed away today the same way he lived his life: peacefully, with grace, dignity and surrounded by family and loved ones,” Bidwill said in a statement last year. “We are overwhelmed by the support our family has received, not only now but throughout the latest chapter of his life. We are especially grateful to the nurses, doctors and other caregivers whose endless kindness and compassion in recent years have made our dad’s life so meaningful.”
The Cardinals were established in Chicago in 1898. They are a charter member of the NFL along with the Chicago Bears. The team moved to St. Louis in 1960 before heading to Arizona in 1988. In their history, the Cardinals have won two NFL Championships (1925, 1947) and have reached the Super Bowl once (2008).
