Larry Fitzgerald is a certified Arizona Cardinals Legend
As we kick off a new NFL Season, there is a member of the Arizona Cardinals that will be absent for the second year in a row. Cardinals legend Larry Fitzgerald will not be joining the team for a second year.
Why, you ask? Your guess is as good as anyone’s at this point. Larry himself has not made any public statement that he is officially retired from the NFL. These days you can catch Larry playing golf, co-hosting the “Let’s Go” podcast, and now he’s the newest analyst for Monday Night Football.
This was probably always Larry’s plan
It shouldn’t shock anyone that a guy who was considered “the nicest guy in the NFL” wanted to quietly walk away from the game. This was a man that would make phenomenal catches, hand the ball to the ref, and walk away like nothing ever happened. Larry was never one to boast or celebrate. Rather than draw attention to himself, he just chose to quietly step away. Some have taken issue with the silent approach and others feel at peace with the decision.
With no real explanation for stepping away, his absence has caused some fans to come up with their own conclusions. A popular theory is that he retired because of quarterback Kyler Murray. It had been rumored the two don’t get along. Former NFL wide receiver Greg Jennings appeared on “The Herd with Colin Cowherd” and discussed some comments Fitzgerald made about Murray. His comments were something to the effect of “the team rolled out the red carpet for Murray and has given him everything he wants, which was reflected in the way he carried himself”. After this had circulated, Larry had made a statement on Twitter that he has never had a problem with a teammate. Still, people called into question that it was even Fitz himself behind the tweets. To add to the speculation, Larry Fitzgerald Sr. has also criticized Murray on Twitter saying he is “spoiled” and “he’s never been humbled”. It is unknown whether Larry shares the same sentiment as his father.
Until we hear why from the man himself; let’s face the facts. This year Larry turns 39 years old, making him geriatric in wide receiver years. The last couple of years he seemed to be the odd man out. The Cardinals have progressed beyond the need for him. While he was still serviceable, he was not the wide receiver he once was. It is a natural part of life when Father Time catches up to us. In the NFL you either burn out or fade away. Fitzgerald chose to fade away when he felt the timing was right.
Larry has accomplished more than anyone at his position can dream of. In his 17-year career, he holds numerous league and franchise records, 11 pro bowl appearances, and the best individual postseason performances thus far. He has solidified himself as one of the greatest players in NFL history and when the time comes he will be a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
He gave everything he had to try to bring a championship to the Cardinals. A man of his talents could have demanded out and gone on to win somewhere else but he stayed loyal to the Valley for his entire career. We as fans should be honored to witness such a legend. We may never have another player like Larry Fitzgerald.
