Bob McManaman

Phoenix

Senior Sportswriter at The Arizona Republic

Senior Sportswriter for The Arizona Republic. I cover the Arizona Cardinals and the NFL.

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Articles

Racing legend Mario Andretti hopes IndyCar series returns to Phoenix area

1 week ago | azcentral.com | Bob McManaman

For the past 60 years, racing legend Mario Andretti has carried on a torrid love affair. It’s OK, though; his family knows all about it. It’s not a secret. The most famous driver in motorsports history has always been true to his heart’s longtime desire because she has always been faithful to him. She isn’t a person, but a place — specifically, the 1-mile oval in Avondale called Phoenix Raceway, which will forever be known as Phoenix International Raceway to Andretti.
Michigan corner Will Johnson burning to bring Patrick Peterson vibes to Arizona Cardinals

2 weeks ago | azcentral.com | Bob McManaman

Former Michigan cornerback is highly motivated to prove his greatness after being bypassed in the first roundIt’s a good thing the Arizona Cardinals and Patrick Peterson were able to patch up their differences earlier this year. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have been on the stage representing the Red Sea in Green Bay on Friday night, April 25, to officially announce the team’s second-round selection in the NFL draft.
Examining some of the winners and losers from the 2025 NFL draft

2 weeks ago | azcentral.com | Bob McManaman

Arizona's first four picks could all end up being starters at some point this coming seasonThe best way to properly judge a team’s NFL draft is by … waiting. It isn’t as fun as instant overreaction, which we all love to do. But patience and time are required to truly determine how any team’s draft will ultimately pan out. At minimum, it takes two to three years.
Would the Arizona Cardinals dare to draft ASU's Cam Skattebo in Day 3?

2 weeks ago | amestrib.com | Bob McManaman

Valley's NFL franchise could blow the doors off the draft by selecting ASU running back Cam SkatteboThey’ve already drafted a self-described “unicorn,” another guy who could potentially be the biggest “steal” of the entire draft, and then they added a hulking edge rusher who, according to almost all the scouting reports, has “freakish” athletic talent.
Would the Arizona Cardinals dare to draft ASU's Cam Skattebo in Day 3?

2 weeks ago | azcentral.com | Bob McManaman

Valley's NFL franchise could blow the doors off the draft by selecting ASU running back Cam SkatteboThey’ve already drafted a self-described “unicorn,” another guy who could potentially be the biggest “steal” of the entire draft, and then they added a hulking edge rusher who, according to almost all the scouting reports, has “freakish” athletic talent.
President Trump rips owners on Shedeur Sanders' NFL draft slide

2 weeks ago | azcentral.com | Bob McManaman

The 2025 NFL Draft re-opens with Day 2 at 4 p.m. MST (7 p.m. Eastern time), and there continues to be a troubling trend. It involves former Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders and his dramatic slide all the way out of the first round on Thursday, April 24. I wrote a column on April 23 on why the son of NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, also Shedeur’s college coach, is such a lightning rod for (undeserved) controversy.
Did the Arizona Cardinals snare the next Aaron Donald with Walter Nolen III at NFL draft?

2 weeks ago | azcentral.com | Bob McManaman

Making comparisons regarding a prospect just selected in the NFL draft isn’t only dangerous, but it can also be condemning. But consider the case of defensive tackle Walter Nolen III, the first-round pick by the Arizona Cardinals out of Mississippi at No. 16 overall. No one “compared” him to the legendary Aaron Donald, the three-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year with the rival Los Angeles Rams.
President Trump rips owners on Shedeur Sanders' NFL draft slide

2 weeks ago | usatoday.com | Bob McManaman

The 2025 NFL Draft re-opens with Day 2 at 4 p.m. MST (7 p.m. Eastern time), and there continues to be a troubling trend. It involves former Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders and his dramatic slide all the way out of the first round on Thursday, April 24. I wrote a column on April 23 on why the son of NFL Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, also Shedeur’s college coach, is such a lightning rod for (undeserved) controversy.
NFL Draft Round 2: Which prospects could the Arizona Cardinals draft?

2 weeks ago | azcentral.com | Bob McManaman

The Arizona Cardinals used their first-round pick in the 2025 NFL draft on defensive tackle Walter Nolen from Ole Miss at No. 16 overall. Where will they turn next in their effort to further bolster their roster for this season and beyond with their two choices at Nos. 47 and 78 overall in the second and third rounds? It could be almost anyone from maybe anywhere, but we have some plausible suggestions as to who and what could be available when the draft resumes Friday, April 25.
Top 10 worst and best picks

2 weeks ago | azcentral.com | Bob McManaman

Like most of those who came before him, Monti Ossenfort made it a point prior to his third NFL draft as general manager of the Arizona Cardinals that the draft, itself, is an “inexact science.” That is not only fact, but typical GM-speak for, “Hey, don’t blame us if we make a mistake – or three – along the way.” The Cardinals certainly have had their share of hits and misses in the NFL draft since they relocated to Arizona in 1988, and with this year’s three-day edition set to begin Thursday,...