Larry Fitzgerald facts for kids
Fitzgerald with the Arizona Cardinals in 2017
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| No. 11 | |||||||
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| Position: | Wide receiver | ||||||
| Personal information | |||||||
| Born: | August 31, 1983 Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S. |
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| Height: | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||||||
| Weight: | 218 lb (99 kg) | ||||||
| Career information | |||||||
| High school: | Academy of Holy Angels (Richfield, Minnesota) | ||||||
| College: | Pittsburgh (2002–2003) | ||||||
| NFL Draft: | 2004 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3 | ||||||
| Career history | |||||||
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| Career highlights and awards | |||||||
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| Career NFL statistics | |||||||
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| Player stats at PFR | |||||||
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College Football Hall of Fame
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Larry Fitzgerald Jr. is a famous American football player. He played as a wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals for 17 seasons. Many people think he is one of the best wide receivers ever in the National Football League (NFL).
Larry was chosen by the Cardinals as the third player picked in the 2004 NFL draft. He played college football at the University of Pittsburgh. There, he was named an unanimous All-American in 2003, which means he was recognized as one of the best college players in the country.
He was picked for the Pro Bowl eleven times, which is a huge honor. He also led the NFL in catches twice and touchdowns twice. Larry is second in NFL history for career receiving yards and catches. He is also sixth in career receiving touchdowns. He was even named to the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 2010s and the NFL's 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.
In 2020, Larry became a part-owner of the Phoenix Suns, an NBA basketball team.
Contents
Early Life and High School Football
Larry Fitzgerald grew up around football. As a teenager, he worked as a ball boy for the Minnesota Vikings. This meant he helped out the team during practices and games. He got to see his favorite players like Cris Carter and Randy Moss up close. Larry said it was like "on-the-job training" for him. He learned a lot about hard work from these players.
Larry went to Academy of Holy Angels for high school in Richfield, Minnesota. He was a top wide receiver there, earning All-State honors twice. After high school, he spent a year at Valley Forge Military Academy in Pennsylvania. This helped him meet the requirements to play college football.
College Career at Pittsburgh
Larry played college football for the University of Pittsburgh. He was one of the best wide receivers in college football during his two years there (2002–2003).
Amazing Freshman Season (2002)
As a freshman in 2002, Larry made an immediate impact. He had 10 catches for 103 yards in his second game. Later, he caught his first two college touchdowns against Toledo. He also had three touchdowns in a big win against Virginia Tech. Larry finished his first season leading his conference with 69 catches for 1,005 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Super Sophomore Season (2003)
Larry's second year in 2003 was even better. He started strong with three touchdowns in his first game. He had many games with over 100 receiving yards and multiple touchdowns. One game, he had 12 catches for 201 yards. He also had a streak of 18 straight games with at least one touchdown catch, which is an NCAA record!
In 2003, Larry led the Big East conference with 92 catches for 1,672 yards. He also led the entire NCAA with 22 touchdowns. He won major awards like the Walter Camp Award and the Biletnikoff Award. He was even a runner-up for the Heisman Trophy, given to the best college football player.
After just two years, Larry set a new Pitt record with 34 receiving touchdowns. His jersey number 1 was retired by the University of Pittsburgh in 2013.
Professional Career with the Cardinals
Larry decided to enter the NFL draft after only two years of college. The NFL allowed him to enter early. The Arizona Cardinals drafted him third overall in the 2004 NFL draft. Their coach, Dennis Green, knew Larry from his ball boy days with the Vikings.
Early Years (2004–2007)
Larry made his NFL debut in 2004. He scored his first touchdown in October. He became the youngest player to catch two touchdowns in one game at 21 years old. He finished his rookie year with 59 catches, 780 yards, and eight touchdowns.
In 2005, Larry had an amazing season. He led the NFL with 103 catches for 1,409 yards and 10 touchdowns. He was chosen for his first Pro Bowl. He and teammate Anquan Boldin became one of the best wide receiver duos in the NFL.
He continued to play well in 2006 and 2007, despite some injuries. In 2007, he caught 100 passes for 1,409 yards and 10 touchdowns. Fans started calling him "Sticky Fingers" because of his great catching ability.
Super Bowl XLIII Season (2008)
The 2008 season was huge for Larry and the Cardinals. He had seven games with over 100 receiving yards. He finished the regular season with 96 catches, 1,431 yards, and 12 touchdowns, leading the league. The Cardinals made the playoffs for the first time in a long time.
In the playoffs, Larry was incredible. He set new NFL records for receiving yards (546), catches (30), and touchdowns (7) in a single postseason. He helped the Cardinals reach Super Bowl XLIII. In the Super Bowl, he caught two touchdowns, including a 64-yard catch late in the game. Even though the Cardinals lost, Larry's performance was unforgettable. He was named a First-team All-Pro for this season.
Continued Success (2009–2017)
Larry continued to be a top receiver. In 2009, he led the league again with 13 touchdowns. He helped the Cardinals win a playoff game against the Green Bay Packers. He was chosen for the Pro Bowl many more times.
In 2011, he signed a big contract with the Cardinals. He had 80 catches for 1,411 yards and eight touchdowns that year. He was ranked as one of the best players in the NFL by his peers.
In 2015, Larry had another fantastic year with 109 catches for 1,215 yards and nine touchdowns. He became the youngest player to reach 1,000 career catches. In the playoffs, he had an amazing 176 receiving yards in a game against the Green Bay Packers, including a game-winning touchdown in overtime.
In 2016, he led the NFL in catches for the second time with 107. He also reached 100 career touchdowns. By 2017, he was the active leader in career catches and receiving yards. He continued to have over 1,000 receiving yards that season.
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Later Career and Retirement (2018–2020)
In 2018, Larry passed Terrell Owens to become second all-time in NFL career receiving yards, behind only Jerry Rice. He also set an NFL record for most catches with one team. In Week 16, he even threw his first career touchdown pass!
He returned for the 2019 and 2020 seasons, continuing to play at a high level. In 2020, he was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list but returned to play. He officially announced he was not planning to return to the NFL in February 2022. During his career, he caught touchdown passes from 16 different quarterbacks.
NFL Career Statistics
Larry Fitzgerald had an incredible career. Here are some of his main stats:
- Receptions: 1,432 (2nd all-time in NFL history)
- Receiving Yards: 17,492 (2nd all-time in NFL history)
- Receiving Touchdowns: 121 (6th all-time in NFL history)
He holds many Arizona Cardinals team records, including most career catches, receiving yards, and touchdowns.
Awards and Honors
Larry Fitzgerald has received many awards for his amazing career:
NFL Awards
- Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year (2016) - This award is for players who do great things on and off the field.
- First-team All-Pro (2008)
- 11× Pro Bowl (2005, 2007–2013, 2015–2017)
- 2× NFL receptions leader (2005, 2016)
- 2× NFL receiving touchdowns leader (2008, 2009)
- NFL 2010s All-Decade Team
- NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team
College Awards
- Biletnikoff Award (2003) - Given to the nation's outstanding college receiver.
- Walter Camp Award (2003) - Given to the nation's outstanding college player.
- Unanimous All-American (2003)
- Pittsburgh Panthers No. 1 retired
Records
Larry Fitzgerald holds many impressive records:
NFL Records
- Most touchdown catches in a postseason: 7 (2008)
- Most catches in a postseason: 30 (2008)
- Youngest player to reach 1,000 career catches (32 years old)
- Most consecutive seasons scoring a touchdown: 17 (2004–2020)
Arizona Cardinals Team Records
- Most career catches: 1,378
- Most career receiving yards: 17,492
- Most career receiving touchdowns: 120
- Most 100-yard receiving games in a career: 49
- Most seasons with 1,000+ receiving yards: 9
Personal Life
Larry's father, Larry Fitzgerald Sr., is a sportswriter. He even covered his son playing in the Super Bowl! Larry's mother, Carol, passed away in 2003.
In 2016, Larry finished his college degree from the University of Phoenix. He had promised his mother he would finish his education.
Larry loves to travel and has visited almost 100 countries around the world. He even has a travel business. He has three sons.
He was good friends with Arizona politician John McCain and spoke at his memorial service.
In 2020, Larry became a part-owner of the Phoenix Suns NBA team. He also became a part-owner of a new pickleball team in 2023.
Larry is also a big fan of chess and is on the board of First Move Chess, an organization that promotes chess for kids.
In the Media
Larry Fitzgerald has been featured in many ways outside of football:
- Video Games: He was on the cover of the NCAA Football 2005 video game. He was also on the cover of Madden NFL 10 with Troy Polamalu.
- ESPN Analyst: Since 2022, Larry has worked as a football analyst for ESPN. He shares his insights during NFL games and shows.
- Podcast Host: In 2021, he started co-hosting the "Let's Go!" podcast with Jim Gray and Tom Brady. They talk about NFL news and stories.
Philanthropy
Larry Fitzgerald is very active in helping others.
He started the "Larry Fitzgerald First Down Fund." This fund helps kids and families by supporting fun activities for children and helping families in tough times. He also holds youth football camps in Arizona and Minnesota. He has provided technology to schools and helped refurbish basketball courts. He also gives new helmets to young football players.
Larry also created the "Carol Fitzgerald Memorial Fund" in honor of his mother. This organization supports causes important to his mother, like educating young people about HIV/AIDS and breast cancer. Every October, he donates money to breast cancer organizations based on his touchdowns and catches.
He has visited soldiers overseas five times through USO tours. He also helps raise money for injured military members. Larry has received many awards for his charity work, including the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award.
