TEMPE, Ariz. — The small patch on the right front of Aaron Francisco's jersey makes him feel as big as the Big Island.

The patch contains a block "C" with four stars underneath. Two of the stars are gold on the inside, signifying the number of seasons that Francisco has been elected a special teams captain for the Arizona Cardinals.

"That's probably the greatest achievement I have had in my life so far as far as sports goes," Francisco said.

"To have that kind of respect from your teammates, to be voted as a captain of this football team. At this level, I wouldn't trade that for anything."

Francisco will play in the biggest game of his career this weekend in the Super Bowl, when Arizona meets Pittsburgh in a game that seems to signify the start of a new era for a Cardinals' franchise that has won more postseason games (three) this year than its previous 87 years combined.

Francisco, who has been with Arizona for four seasons, credits second-year coach Ken Whisenhunt and his staff for helping create a new culture.

"I always felt we had talent. We had the players. Now we have come together as a team. We have meshed well. We have learned to finish games," said Francisco, who grew up in Lai'e and played for Kahuku High.

"In the past, even though we'd start off well, there would always be that something that went wrong in the game. We'd always get our heads down. It seems like everybody just gave up.

"This season, it seems like we used those things to motivate us instead of get us down, and get us through games."

The Cardinals fell behind in both of their last two playoff games, to Carolina in the first quarter and Philadelphia in the fourth, before rallying both times.

Francisco had his first playoff interception in the 32-25 victory over Philadelphia on Jan. 18, returning it 27 yards before the ball was stripped on a tackle from behind, and Whisenhunt said Francisco is growing into his role as a playmaker, not only on special teams, but on defense while filling in for injured Pro Bowler Adrian Wilson.

"He has really grown up. Early in the year, when Adrian had the hamstring, Aaron was forced to play a little bit more on defense, and he did a nice job," Whisenhunt said.

"There are two things you have to do to become a good player. You have to make your way up through the special teams, which Aaron has done. Then, you have to play well in the opportunities you get" to be part of the regular packages, "which Aaron has done for us this year.

"I'm excited about Aaron's future with our team and the fact that he has gotten some confidence from making some plays."

Francisco had another special memory of the Philadelphia game — his father and probably biggest fan, James Monroe Francisco, attended the game and wept tears of joy after the Cardinals won.

Francisco said he is flying his entire immediate family from Hawai'i to the Super Bowl.

"They are one of the reasons I am here, the way I was brought up and the way I was raised," Francisco.

"My dad was always into sports as a kid, but he never really got a chance to play a lot. In a way, he lived his dream through me. I'm happy that they are able to be here."

The family is so close that James Monroe Francisco, a police officer in Hawai'i, saved his vacation days so he could stay in Utah months at a time when his son played at Brigham Young. He has spent the last month of each of the last two NFL seasons in Arizona.

Francisco named his son Kainoa, which in the Hawaiian culture means "namesake."

"You name someone Kainoa in honor of someone in the family. It's in honor of my dad," he said. "The town that I'm from, the whole community is family-oriented.

"We are always working our butts off every year to make our families and our community proud of what we do."