Arizona Digest. Cardinals lend wings to Special Olympics Arizona

Summer is here in Arizona, and there’s plenty of activity, including college sports and a new season for the Phoenix Mercury, Phoenix Rising FC and Arizona Rattlers. Here are updates on news and events happening around Arizona sports:

>The Arizona Cardinals loaded up their Boeing 777 and delivered more than 140 athletes and coaches from Arizona to Minneapolis for the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games.

>The team, with its affiliate Gridiron Air, joined the Special Olympics Airlift and took off Friday, June 19, from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. The group will return Saturday, June 27.

>Arizona Cardinals Foundation targeted Special Olympics Arizona as one of the four primary beneficiaries of the inaugural “Cardinals Climb” earlier this year that raised $2 million.

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>This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Cardinals fly Arizona's Special Olympics squad to Minnesota