Larry Fitzgerald

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Lore & Background

Fitzgerald was selected for the Pro Bowl eleven times. He was named first-team All-Pro in 2008 and second-team All-Pro twice in 2009 and 2011. He is second in NFL career receiving yards, second in career receptions, and sixth in career receiving touchdowns. He was named to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team and NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2026 in his first year of eligibility. Fitzgerald became a minority owner of the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 2020.

In Their Own Story

The frozen winds of Heinz Field cut through the stadium, but the tension was electric. The Arizona Cardinals' crimson jerseys stood out sharply against the sea of black-and-gold fans screaming for blood. At the line of scrimmage, Larry Fitzgerald adjusted his helmet, his gaze locked not on the home crowd, but on the Steelers' secondary. He wasn't a brother in arms here; he was the ultimate visitor, the giant-killer who had tormented Pittsburgh's defenses for years. When the ball snapped, the chaos erupted. Fitzgerald exploded off the line, shedding press coverage with a grace that defied the brutal physicality of the moment. His route was a masterclass in precision—sharp cuts and sudden stops that left defenders grasping at air. He caught the pass in stride, his hands locking onto the leather as if magnetized, just before the steel wall could collapse around him. In that split second, he wasn't just a wide receiver; he was living proof of a career built entirely elsewhere, facing the Steelers not as family, but as the most formidable rival they ever had to overcome.

Reader's Guide

Fitzgerald attended and played high school football at the Academy of Holy Angels in Richfield, Minnesota. He spent a year at Valley Forge Military Academy in Pennsylvania. He played college football at the University of Pittsburgh for the Pittsburgh Panthers under head coach Walt Harris. He did not graduate from the University of Pittsburgh. He was later featured in advertising campaigns touting his graduation from the University of Phoenix. In just 26 games in his collegiate career, Fitzgerald caught 161 passes for 2,677 yards and set a Pitt record with 34 receiving touchdowns. He was the first player in school history with back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons. His 18 straight games with at least one touchdown reception is an NCAA record. On July 1, 2013, Fitzgerald's #1 jersey was retired by the University of Pittsburgh. In 2021, he was ranked second on ESPN's list of the 50 greatest wide receivers of the past 50 years.

Did You Know?

• As a teenager, Fitzgerald worked as a ball boy for the Minnesota Vikings under coach Dennis Green.
• Fitzgerald was the first wide receiver selected in the 2004 NFL draft.
• He became the youngest player at 21 years and 110 days to record at least two touchdown receptions in a single game.
• Fitzgerald was a runner-up for the Heisman Trophy in 2003, losing to Oklahoma's Jason White.