Larry Fitzgerald facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Larry Fitzgerald

Fitzgerald with the Arizona Cardinals in 2017
No. 11
Position:	Wide receiver
Personal information
Born:	(1983-08-31) August 31, 1983 (age 41) Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.
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
Arizona Cardinals (2004)
Career highlights and awards
First-team All-Pro (2008) 2× Second-team All-Pro (2009, 2011) Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year (2016) 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 Art Rooney Award (2014) Biletnikoff Award (2003) Walter Camp Award (2003) Chic Harley Award (2003) Paul Warfield Trophy (2003) Big East Offensive Player of the Year (2003) Unanimous All-American (2003) First-team All-Big East (2003) Pittsburgh Panthers No. 1 retired
Career NFL statistics
Receptions: 1,432 Receiving yards: 17,492 Receiving touchdowns: 121
Player stats at PFR
College Football Hall of Fame

Larry Darnell Fitzgerald Jr. (born August 31, 1983) is a famous American football player. He played as a wide receiver for 17 seasons with the Arizona Cardinals in the National Football League (NFL). Many fans, coaches, and other players think he is one of the best wide receivers in NFL history.

Before joining the NFL, Larry played college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers. He was recognized as a unanimous All-American in 2003, which means he was considered one of the best college players that year. The Cardinals chose him as the third overall pick in the 2004 NFL draft.

Larry Fitzgerald was chosen for the Pro Bowl eleven times, which is a big honor. He was also named a first-team All-Pro in 2008. He holds impressive records, ranking second in NFL career receiving yards and career receptions. He is also sixth in career receiving touchdowns. He was even named to the special NFL 2010s All-Decade Team and the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team.

In 2020, Larry became a part-owner of the Phoenix Suns, a professional basketball team in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Early Life and High School Football

Larry Fitzgerald grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota. When he was a teenager, he worked as a ball boy for the Minnesota Vikings, an NFL team. This gave him a special chance to be around his favorite players like Cris Carter and Randy Moss. He learned a lot about hard work and dedication from them.

Larry went to Academy of Holy Angels for high school football in Richfield. He was a top wide receiver there, earning First-team All-State honors twice. After high school, he spent a year at Valley Forge Military Academy in Pennsylvania before starting college.

College Football Career

Larry Fitzgerald played college football at the University of Pittsburgh for the Pittsburgh Panthers football team. He quickly became known as one of the best wide receivers in college football during his time from 2002 to 2003.

Freshman Season (2002)

As a freshman, Larry made an immediate impact. He had many games with over 100 receiving yards and scored multiple touchdowns. For example, against Virginia Tech, he caught five passes for 105 yards and three touchdowns. He finished his first season leading the Big East conference with 69 catches for 1,005 yards and 12 touchdowns. His team, the Pittsburgh Panthers, finished with an 8–4 record and won the 2002 Insight Bowl.

Sophomore Season (2003)

Larry's sophomore year was even more amazing. He started strong with multiple touchdowns in his first few games. He had a season-high 207 receiving yards against Rutgers. He also had a streak of 12 games in 2003 (and 18 games overall) where he caught at least one touchdown pass, which is an NCAA record!

In 2003, Larry led the Big East conference with 92 catches for 1,672 yards. He also led the NCAA with 22 touchdowns. He won several major awards, including the Walter Camp Award and the Biletnikoff Award, which recognize the best college football player and receiver. He was a unanimous All-American and almost won the Heisman Trophy, finishing as the runner-up.

In just two college seasons, Larry set a new Pitt record with 34 receiving touchdowns. His #1 jersey was retired by the University of Pittsburgh in 2013, a huge honor.

College Statistics

Professional Football Career

Larry Fitzgerald was chosen by the Arizona Cardinals as the third player picked in the 2004 NFL draft. The Cardinals' coach at the time, Dennis Green, knew Larry from his days as a ball boy for the Minnesota Vikings. Larry was the first wide receiver chosen in that draft.

Early NFL Years (2004–2007)

Larry made his NFL debut in September 2004. He scored his first touchdown in October against the San Francisco 49ers. In his rookie year, he had 59 catches for 780 yards and eight touchdowns.

In 2005, Larry had an amazing season, leading the NFL with 103 catches for 1,409 yards and 10 touchdowns. He was selected 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, earning another Pro Bowl selection. His incredible catching ability earned him nicknames like "Sticky Fingers."

Super Bowl XLIII Season (2008)

Fitzgerald catches a touchdown at the 2009 Pro Bowl

The 2008 season was a huge success for Larry and the Cardinals. He had 96 catches for 1,431 yards and led the league with 12 touchdowns. The Cardinals won their division and made it to the playoffs for the first time in a long time.

In the playoffs, Larry was unstoppable. He set new NFL records for most receiving yards (546), receptions (30), and touchdowns (7) in a single postseason. In the NFC Championship game, he tied an NFL record with three touchdown catches in one playoff game, helping the Cardinals reach Super Bowl XLIII. In the Super Bowl, he caught two more touchdowns, but the Cardinals narrowly lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers.

After this incredible season, Larry was named a First-team All-Pro. He also won the MVP award at the 2009 Pro Bowl.

Continued Success (2009–2014)

Larry continued to be a top receiver. In 2009, he led the league again with 13 touchdowns and helped the Cardinals return to the playoffs. He earned his third straight Pro Bowl selection.

He signed a large contract extension in 2011. That year, he had 80 catches for 1,411 yards and eight touchdowns, earning another Pro Bowl and All-Pro selection. He was consistently one of the best players in the league.

In 2013, he had 82 catches for 954 yards and 10 touchdowns, making his eighth Pro Bowl. In 2014, he had a career-high 80-yard touchdown catch and helped the Cardinals make the playoffs again.

Later Career and Milestones (2015–2020)

Fitzgerald during the 2015 season

In 2015, Larry signed a new contract and continued to shine. He had a game with three touchdown catches, a first in his regular season career. He also became the youngest player to reach 1,000 career receptions. He finished the season with 109 catches for 1,215 yards and nine touchdowns, earning his ninth Pro Bowl selection. In the playoffs, he had a record-breaking 176 receiving yards in a game against the Green Bay Packers.

In 2016, Larry led the NFL in receptions for the second time with 107 catches. He also reached 100 career touchdowns, becoming only the 10th player to do so. He moved up to third on the all-time career reception list. He was named to his tenth Pro Bowl.

Fitzgerald in 2017

By 2017, Larry was the active NFL leader in receptions and receiving yards. He continued to have strong seasons, with 109 catches for 1,156 yards in 2017, earning his 11th Pro Bowl selection.

In 2018, he passed Terrell Owens to become second on the all-time receiving yards list, behind only Jerry Rice. He also set an NFL record for most receptions with one team (1,282). In Week 16, he even threw his first career touchdown pass!

Larry returned for the 2019 and 2020 seasons, continuing to be a leader for the Cardinals. In 2019, he passed Tony Gonzalez for second-most career receptions in NFL history.

Retirement

Larry Fitzgerald did not officially announce his retirement, but in February 2022, he said he was not planning to play in the NFL anymore. Throughout his amazing career, he caught touchdown passes from 16 different quarterbacks. In September 2022, he joined ESPN as a football analyst.

NFL Career Statistics

Regular Season Stats

Playoff Stats

Awards and Honors

Larry Fitzgerald has received many awards and honors throughout his career:

NFL Awards

• Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year (2016): This award recognizes a player's outstanding community service and playing excellence.
• First-team All-Pro (2008)
• 2× Second-team All-Pro (2009, 2011)
• 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: Named one of the best players of the 2010s.
• NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team: Recognized as one of the greatest players in NFL history.
• Art Rooney Award (2014)

College Awards

• Biletnikoff Award (2003): Given to the nation's outstanding college football receiver.
• Walter Camp Award (2003): Recognizes the best player in college football.
• Big East Offensive Player of the Year (2003)
• Unanimous All-American (2003)
• First-team All-Big East (2003)
• Insight Bowl champion (2002)
• Pittsburgh Panthers No. 1 retired

Records

Larry Fitzgerald holds many impressive records in the NFL and for the Arizona Cardinals.

NFL Records

• Most touchdown receptions in a postseason: 7 (2008)
• Most receptions in a postseason: 30 (2008)
• Youngest player to record 1,000 receptions (32 years, 97 days)
• Most consecutive games with a catch: 256

Cardinals Franchise Records

• Most receptions (career): 1,432
• Most receiving yards (career): 17,492
• Most receiving touchdowns (career): 121
• Most 100+-yard receiving games (career): 49
• Most seasons with 1,000+ receiving yards (career): 9
• Most consecutive seasons scoring a touchdown: 17 (2004–2020)

Personal Life

Fitzgerald at the Child Development Center on Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, in 2006

Larry's father, Larry Fitzgerald Sr., is a sportswriter. He made history by being the first reporter to cover his own son in a Super Bowl. Larry's mother, Carol, passed away in 2003.

In 2016, Larry finished his college degree from the University of Phoenix. This was a promise he made to his mother. He is now a spokesperson for the university. Larry loves to travel and has visited almost 100 countries around the world. He even runs a travel business.

Larry has three sons, including Devin, who is also a wide receiver and a promising college football player. Devin committed to Notre Dame in July 2025.

Larry was good friends with Arizona politician John McCain and spoke at his memorial service in 2018.

In 2020, Larry bought a small part of the Phoenix Suns NBA team, becoming a partial owner. He advises the team's staff and players. 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.

Golfing Activity

Besides football, Larry Fitzgerald is a very good golfer. He has played in many famous golf tournaments with professional golfers and celebrities.

He has won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am twice, in 2018 and 2020, playing with professional golfer Kevin Streelman. He was the first African American amateur to win this event. Larry has also played at Augusta National Golf Club and helps promote the sport of golf.

In 2024, Larry was named an honorary co-chair for the U.S. Amateur Championship, which shows his contributions to golf. He also participated in the Golf4All Day event, which encourages everyone to play golf.

In the Media

Video Games

Larry Fitzgerald has been featured on the covers of popular video games. He was on the cover of NCAA Football 2005. He also shared the cover of Madden NFL 10 with Troy Polamalu, making them the first two players to be on a Madden cover together.

ESPN Analyst

Since September 2022, Larry has worked as an analyst for ESPN. He shares his knowledge and thoughts about NFL games and news on shows like Monday Night Countdown.

SiriusXM Podcast Host

In September 2021, Larry started hosting the ‘Let’s Go!’ podcast with Jim Gray and Tom Brady. They talk about news and moments from around the NFL each week.

Philanthropy

Larry Fitzgerald is very active in helping others. He started the “Larry Fitzgerald First Down Fund” to support kids and families. This fund helps by providing fun activities for kids, supporting families in tough times, and helping health organizations.

• The "First Down Fund" hosts youth football camps in Arizona and Minnesota every summer.
• In 2014, Larry and Lenovo gave tablets and equipment to schools in Minneapolis and Phoenix to help kids access technology.
• He helped refurbish a basketball court at Rev Dr. Martin Luther King Jr Park in Minneapolis.
• He partnered with Riddell to give new helmets to 1,000 kids in a Minneapolis football program.

Larry also created the “Carol Fitzgerald Memorial Fund” in honor of his mother, who passed away from breast cancer. This fund supports causes important to his mother, like educating young people about HIV/AIDS and breast cancer. He has been an NFL spokesperson for the “A Crucial Catch” breast cancer awareness program.

Because of his community work, Larry has received several awards, including the Arthur S. Arkush Humanitarian Award and the Henry P. Iba Citizen Athlete Male Recipient award. He has also visited soldiers overseas five times to show his support.

See also

In Spanish: Larry Fitzgerald para niños