AQ Shipley played in the NFL for 12 years, but he spent most of his time with the Cardinal and his favorite career memories.
“I love every aspect of me in Arizona,” Shipley said.
The center has built the closest friendship with linemen such as Justin Pugh, Jared Veldeer, Mike Iupati and Earl Watford, and is still on vacation with quarterbacks Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton. He lives in the valley with his family.
After the Cardinals selected him as the team's new color analyst, Shipley had the opportunity to build these memories, replacing Ron Wolfley. Wolfley retired in February after 20 seasons at the booth.
“I think the expertise to explain the game is a completely different field and starts and ends from the offensive line,” Shipley said. “When I play, my two inches are too short and my arms are too short.
“I'm going to be involved with the same aspect. I think talking about why this simple inner area works on the left, but the defense is twisty and wrapped in a will guard. I speak foreign language to some people, but if I can do it somehow in a way my mom can understand it, then I know everyone can understand it.”
Shipley will also serve as the organization’s brand ambassador and appear on the team’s TV shows and podcasts. But his main role will work with game-by-game man Dave Pasch and side journalist Paul Calvisi, each of whom has been on the broadcast team for over 20 years.
“The one thing that's best when you look at Wolf or (Bill) Walton or (Bill) Walton or NBA or college football analysts on ESPN,” Pasch said. “They all have different strengths, different personalities, but the biggest thing in common is their passion for the game.
When Pasch and Shipley performed a mock broadcast together during the interview, Pasch thought Shipley was “natural.”
“It’s a little different on the radio because a lot of the time, you’re just calling the action, not working on the TV element,” Pasch said. “You don’t have the chance to be a storyteller, so there’s not that much back and forth, but helping him become comfortable and reach people feel like the chemistry between the two of us is really good, which is still part of my job.”
Shipley has been in the media. He did some podcasts while Pugh broke the offensive line game, and he has been making appearances on the Pat McAfee Show – the two are teammates of the Colts – in recent years.
Shipley signed with the Cardinals in 2015, joining coach Bruce Arians for the third time and playing for Arians in Pittsburgh and Indianapolis. Shipley hopes to start that season, although the cards eventually signed Lyle Senderling in training camp. Shipley played a preparatory position for the team that entered the NFC championship.
He served as a starter in 2016 and has maintained the location in 2019 – despite missing the 2018 season after tearing the ACL in training camp. He started 51 times in 60 games with the Cardinals.
Shipley signed with the Buccaneers at the time at the coaching place – in 2020, but played only a few games before suffering a neck injury at the end of his career. Shipley received a Super Bowl ring when Tampa Bay won the Super Bowl that season.
He believes his career will be coaching, and he serves as the Arians Tampa staff in 2021. But as the family grew up – he had three children under the age of 7 – the coach's lifestyle was not right.
With his new responsibilities, Shipley can still be part of the game.
“I like being able to talk about football,” Shipley said. “It’s basically doing what I like to do when it comes to coaching, unless it’s from a media perspective now.”