Arizona Cardinals SuperFan Tailgate Troy: The Beloved Superfan Whose Stadium Section Sings Happy Birthday

If you’ve ever wandered the parking lots of State Farm Stadium on an Arizona Cardinals game day and felt an instant rush of music, laughter, grill smoke, and pure joy, chances are you’ve crossed paths with Tailgate Troy. Troy Landrum — known across the NFL world as “Tailgate Troy” — isn’t just a superfan. He’s the heartbeat of Cardinals fandom. A U.S. Navy veteran, legendary tailgate host, community hero, and all-around uniter, Troy shows up every week with a smile, a grill, and enough enthusiasm to power the entire stadium.

Troy’s love for the Arizona Cardinals began in 1988, when the team first moved to Arizona. At the time, he was working security at the Tempe Mission Palms Hotel, the Cardinals’ base hotel for home games. In exchange for helping coaches and front office staff with late-night tasks — including old-school bed checks with actual keys — Troy would receive game tickets. That simple kindness sparked a lifelong passion and planted the seeds for a fandom that would eventually touch thousands of lives.

Today, Troy is a proud member of Professional Football’s Ultimate Fan Association and a Tailgating Hall of Fame inductee. He hosts massive tailgates at every Cardinals home game and many away games, welcoming Cardinals fans and visiting fans alike into an atmosphere filled with incredible food, laughter, sportsmanship, friendship, and just the right amount of friendly smack talk. His game day starts at 6 a.m., but his role as an NFL ambassador goes far beyond Sundays.

Through the years, Troy’s passion evolved into the Tailgate Warriors, a group founded in 2015 that began as friends brought together by football. Now co-captained by Troy Landrum and Cherie Sandoval, the Tailgate Warriors have grown into one of Arizona’s most spirited and welcoming tailgates. With anywhere from 75 to 150+ people attending the tailgate at a single game, the group has traveled to away games, hosted fans from all over the world — including England, Canada, and across the U.S. — and formed lifelong bonds. Troy admits he can’t even remember where the name “Tailgate Warriors” came from, but it stuck, and so did the family. They attend each other’s weddings, vacation together, go out to eat, and support one another through life’s biggest moments. In 2017, the group was officially inducted into the Tailgate Hall of Fame.

What truly sets Tailgate Troy apart is that his fandom is rooted in service. He dedicates countless hours to community outreach, packing food at St. Mary’s Food Bank, cooking meals for shelters and Ronald McDonald House, organizing massive toy drives, donating tickets to families and veterans, and leading charity efforts that have provided 900 backpacks to two full elementary schools. Whether it’s football season or not, Troy is always finding ways to give back.

Inside the stadium, Troy is just as legendary. From Section 118 — where he’s known for getting the entire section to sing “Happy Birthday” to fellow fans — to appearances on the jumbotron and in stadium tunnels across the country, Troy brings joy, humor, and heart wherever he goes. He’s the kind of fan who turns strangers into friends and moments into memories.

When asked about the “young version” of Tailgate Troy, he laughs and admits he wasn’t always all-in on the NFL. He watched football with his dad growing up and still remembers being five years old when his father took him to a Patriots vs. Bills game in freezing weather — a trip that ended with pneumonia and an angry mom. The Tailgate Troy persona truly came to life in 2008–2009, when Troy started wearing his iconic red striped overalls. The look — and the name — were inspired by a fellow military man named Nick Brown, whose spirit left a lasting impact on Troy’s life. Nick later lost his life after struggling with PTSD following his service in Iraq, and Troy carries his memory with him every game day.

Beyond the tailgates and touchdowns, Troy is a devoted family man. He celebrated his 30th wedding anniversary in December 2023 with his beautiful wife Adriana and is a proud, loving dad to his “lil mini me,” Allysa. For Troy, football has always been about connection — to family, to friends, and to community.

Tailgate Troy isn’t just a superfan. He’s a giver, a leader, and a shining example of what fandom can be when it’s driven by kindness, service, and joy. In the SuperFan Diaries, his story reminds us that the best part of football isn’t just the game — it’s the people who bring it to life.

Welcome to the SuperFan Diaries, Troy — the grill is hot, the crowd is ready, and your legacy is already legendary.

🎧 Hear Tailgate Troy's full story on the SuperFan Diaries Podcast — where passion meets the game.
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