Larry Fitzgerald
Larry Darnell Fitzgerald Jr. (born August 31, 1983) is an American former football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 17 seasons with the Arizona Cardinals. He played college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers, earning unanimous All-American honors in 2003. Fitzgerald was selected by the Cardinals with the third overall pick in the 2004 NFL draft. He is widely considered by fans, coaches and peers to be one of the greatest receivers in NFL history.[1][2][3][4][5]
No. 11
August 31, 1983
Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
218 lb (99 kg)
Pittsburgh (2002–2003)
2004 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3
1,432
1,432
17,492
121
Fitzgerald has been selected for the Pro Bowl eleven times.[6] 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.[7][8] He was named to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team and NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.[9][10]
Fitzgerald became a minority owner of the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 2020.[11]
Early years[edit]
As a teenager, Fitzgerald worked as a ball boy for the Minnesota Vikings under coach Dennis Green.[12][13] "You know just being around your childhood idols," Fitzgerald said in a 2015 interview. "Coach Green gave me an opportunity of a lifetime to be around Cris Carter, Warren Moon, Joey Browner, Randy Moss, and Robert Smith. I can go on and on. To see their work ethic and dedication to their craft, that was really an eye-opening experience for a 14-year-old, 15-year-old. It was like on-the-job training almost."[14]
Fitzgerald attended and played high school football at the Academy of Holy Angels in Richfield, Minnesota.[15][16] While there, he was a two-time First-team All-State wide receiver.[17] Fitzgerald did not meet NCAA requirements to play football as a freshman, so he spent a year at Valley Forge Military Academy in Pennsylvania.[16]
In the media[edit]
Video games[edit]
Fitzgerald was featured on the cover of the EA Sports video game NCAA Football 2005.[302] He was one of two players, along with Troy Polamalu, featured on the cover of Madden NFL 10,[303] making them the first two players to be featured on a Madden NFL cover together.[304]
Philanthropy[edit]
Fitzgerald established the “Larry Fitzgerald First Down Fund” to help kids and their families by funding positive activities for kids during the summer and throughout the year, supporting kids and families in crisis and supporting health-related organizations that work with families.[308] One initiative the “First Down Fund” holds each summer are youth football camps in Arizona and Minnesota.[309] In May 2014, Fitzgerald and Lenovo provided five schools in Minneapolis and four schools in Phoenix Lenovo tablets and equipment to enable the children to gain access to technology.[310] The First Down Fund made a donation to the Minneapolis Park and Recreation to help refurbish a basketball court at Rev Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Park. The court received new hoops, poles, backboards and benches. He partnered with Riddell to provide new helmets to 1,000 kids in the Minneapolis Parks and Recreation football program.[311]
Fitzgerald established the “Carol Fitzgerald Memorial Fund” in honor of his mother, who died of breast cancer in 2003. The organization offers support to causes that Fitzgerald's mother held dear, including educating urban youth about HIV/AIDS and breast cancer issues. He has served as an NFL spokesman for the league-wide breast cancer awareness initiative “A Crucial Catch” for three years and every October makes donations to breast cancer organizations based on his touchdowns and receptions during the month.[309]
In August 2012, he was honored with the 14th annual Pro Football Weekly Arthur S. Arkush Humanitarian Award for his community and charitable contributions.[309]
Fitzgerald has made five USO tours to visit soldiers overseas and has raised financial support for injured and critically ill members of the U.S. military.[311]
During the 2013 season, Fitzgerald was honored with the NFL Players Association Georgetown Lombardi Award. The award was established to honor a leader in the sports industry whose life and family have been touched by cancer, and who encourages cancer research, prevention and treatment through awareness and philanthropy.[312]
In 2014, Fitzgerald was selected as the 2014 Henry P. Iba Citizen Athlete Male Recipient, which was created in 1994 by the Rotary Club of Tulsa to recognize an influential male and female premiere athlete for their success in their sport and for being a positive role model who gives back to their communities.[313]
In 2017, Fitzgerald received the Heritage Award from the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry due to his ongoing commitment to improving the lives of Arizonans.[314]
In 2023, Fitzgerald was nominated as a Henry Crown Fellow.[315]
