All-Time Cardinals QBs Ranked: Warner #1, Hart #2

Tom Tupa

#19 · Arizona Cardinals
Retired 4 Years In The NFL
🏆 Super Bowl champion (XXXVII)
Tom's
HAIR
7.8
HeyTC AI Rating

Questions about Tom Tupa or the Cardinals?

Tom Tupa Legacy

HEYTC AI
Tom Tupa was a Swiss Army knife before the NFL knew what to do with one—a 6-4 Buckeye who could sling it as a quarterback and boot it into the stratosphere as a punter. He won 6-1 as Ohio State's starter in 1987, a consensus All-American, but his real genius emerged when he hung up the passing helmet. For 18 seasons across seven teams, Tupa became one of the league's most reliable punting voices, a First-team All-Pro in 1999 and a Super Bowl champion with Tampa Bay in 2002. His 43.4-yard average doesn't jump off the page, but his longevity and adaptability do—the kind of journeyman who quietly outworked everyone else in the room. That's the Tupa legacy: versatility, durability, and a willingness to reinvent yourself.

Tom Tupa Rating Breakdown

Season
Subpar
Fantasy
Subpar
Playoffs
Non-Factor
Overall
Cooked
4 years with the Cardinals

Tom Tupa Career Stats via Wikipedia

3,430 Pass Yards
12 Touchdowns
25 INTs
0.0% Comp %
7.8 HAIR

Frequently Asked Questions About Tom Tupa

How does Kyler Murray compare to Tom Tupa?

Tom Tupa's Cardinals days were a brief, bumpy QB ride—3,430 yards, 12 TDs, a ghastly 60.5 rating—before he hung up the helmet for punting greatness, even nabbing a Super Bowl ring with the Bucs in '03. Kyler Murray? Still scripting his saga as the franchise sparkplug, with dual-threat fireworks Tupa could only dream of in those stone-knuckle 90s.

Is Tom Tupa in the Pro Football Hall of Fame?

Nah, Tom Tupa's not in Canton—no bust gleaming alongside the legends. His QB stint was too spotty (12 TDs to 25 picks), and even as an elite punter with 37,862 yards, the Hall sniffers passed. Guy was a specialist's specialist, not a shrine-locker.

What is Tom Tupa doing now in 2026?

Tom Tupa's off the grid in 2026—no headlines screaming business ventures, booth gigs, or charity drives. Last whispers from his career trail off post-2004 Redskins retirement; dude's likely grilling brats in Ohio, savoring that '03 Bucs ring, far from the spotlight like so many gridiron ghosts.

How would Tom Tupa perform in today's NFL?

Tupa's arm was emergency-room sharp—think 1999 Jets magic replacing Vinny Testaverde—but today's pass-happy rules with nickel defenses and RPOs would've juiced his 3,430 yards into relevance. Still, his punting boot (43.4 avg) might've made him a hybrid weapon à la Murray, minus the scamper.

How does Tom Tupa compare to Jim Hart?

Both Cardinals QBs, but Jim Hart owned the pocket for years with a 34.49 rating over 6,000 attempts, while Tupa's 1991 flash (7.81 rating, 6 TDs-13 INTs) was a one-year fever dream before punts took over. Hart was the steady engine; Tupa, the roadside flare-up.