History of Larry Fitzgerald in Timeline

Larry Fitzgerald Jr. is a retired American football wide receiver who spent his entire 17-season NFL career with the Arizona Cardinals. A standout college player for the Pittsburgh Panthers, earning All-American honors, he was drafted third overall in 2004. Widely regarded as one of the NFL's greatest receivers, Fitzgerald is celebrated for his exceptional skills and longevity.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Career & Achievements Success & Recognition

1947: Cardinals First Home Playoff Game

In 2008, the Arizona Cardinals had their first home playoff game since 1947.

August 31, 1983: Larry Fitzgerald Jr. Born

On August 31, 1983, Larry Darnell Fitzgerald Jr. was born. He would grow up to be a professional football wide receiver.

Others born on this day/year

1988: Super Bowl Performance

In the 2008 NFL season playoffs, Larry Fitzgerald set a single postseason record with 546 receiving yards, 30 receptions, and seven touchdown receptions, surpassing Jerry Rice's records of the 1988–89 NFL playoffs.

1994: Henry P. Iba Citizen Athlete Award Founded

In 1994, the Rotary Club of Tulsa created the Henry P. Iba Citizen Athlete Award.

1995: Fitzgerald and Boldin second tandem

In 2005, Fitzgerald and Boldin became only the second tandem from the same team since Herman Moore and Brett Perriman of the Detroit Lions in 1995, to each catch over 100 passes and top the 1,400-yard mark.

2002: Freshman Season at Pittsburgh

During his freshman season in 2002, Larry Fitzgerald made significant contributions to the Pittsburgh Panthers, including standout performances against Texas A&M, Toledo, Virginia Tech, and West Virginia. He ended the 2002 season with a Big-East conference leading 69 receptions for 1,005 yards and twelve touchdowns.

2002: College Football

In 2002, Larry Fitzgerald played college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers football team.

2003: Awards and Honors in 2003

After his sophomore season, Larry Fitzgerald was recognized as the best player in the NCAA with the 2003 Walter Camp Award and the Touchdown Club of Columbus's Chic Harley Award, and as the nation's outstanding receiver in college football with the 2003 Biletnikoff Award and the Touchdown Club's Paul Warfield Award. He was a unanimous All-American selection in 2003 and a runner-up for the prestigious Heisman Trophy.

2003: Establishment of the Carol Fitzgerald Memorial Fund

In 2003, Fitzgerald established the “Carol Fitzgerald Memorial Fund” in honor of his mother, who died of breast cancer. The organization supports causes that Fitzgerald's mother held dear, including educating urban youth about HIV/AIDS and breast cancer issues.

2003: Death of his mother, Carol Fitzgerald

In 2003, Fitzgerald's mother, Carol, died of a brain hemorrhage while being treated for breast cancer.

2003: All-American Honors

In 2003, Larry Fitzgerald earned unanimous All-American honors while playing college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers.

2003: College Football

In 2003, Larry Fitzgerald played college football for the Pittsburgh Panthers football team and was widely considered one of the best wide receivers in college football.

2003: Continued success in 2003

In November 2003, Larry Fitzgerald continued his stellar performance, achieving significant receiving yards and touchdowns against teams like Boston College, Virginia Tech, West Virginia and Temple. He ended the 2003 season recording his 12th consecutive game with at least one touchdown reception in the 2003 season, and 18th straight game with a touchdown reception dating back to the previous season. Fitzgerald had five receptions for 77 yards against Virginia in the final game of his collegiate career.

2003: Season Stats

In the 2003 season, Larry Fitzgerald led the Big East conference with 92 receptions for 1,672 yards and an NCAA-leading 22 touchdowns.

2004: Drafted into the NFL

In 2004, Larry Fitzgerald was drafted third overall in the NFL draft by the Arizona Cardinals.

2004: Drafted by Arizona Cardinals

In 2004, Larry Fitzgerald was selected by the Arizona Cardinals as the third overall pick in the NFL draft.

2005: Began Friendship with Robert Sarver

In 2005, Fitzgerald developed a long-standing friendship with Phoenix Suns franchise owner Robert Sarver.

2005: Cover of NCAA Football 2005

In 2005, Fitzgerald was featured on the cover of the EA Sports video game NCAA Football 2005.

2005: NFL Leading Receiver

In 2005, Larry Fitzgerald led the NFL with 103 receptions and was named to his first Pro Bowl. He teamed with Anquan Boldin to create one of the most productive wide receiver tandems in the NFL.

2006: Third NFL Season

Larry Fitzgerald's third NFL season in 2006 included a strong start with nine receptions against the San Francisco 49ers, a hamstring injury causing him to miss three games, and a career-high 172 receiving yards against the Minnesota Vikings.

2006: 2006 Season Statistics

Overall, Larry Fitzgerald finished the 2006 season with 69 receptions for 946 yards and six touchdowns as the Cardinals finished the year with a 5–11 record.

2007: Pro Bowl Season and Contract Extension

In 2007, Larry Fitzgerald had a Pro Bowl season, catching 100 passes for 1,409 yards and 10 touchdowns, leading to a four-year, $40 million contract extension with Arizona.

November 5, 2008: Thumb Injury

Larry Fitzgerald showed up on the injury report with an injured thumb on November 5, 2008.

2008: First-Team All-Pro Selection

In 2008, Larry Fitzgerald was named first-team All-Pro.

2008: Playoff and Super Bowl Performance

In the 2008 NFL season playoffs, Larry Fitzgerald excelled with multiple receptions, yards, and touchdowns, leading the Cardinals to Super Bowl XLIII where he made a 64-yard touchdown. Fitzgerald set a single postseason record with 546 receiving yards, 30 receptions, and seven touchdown receptions, surpassing Jerry Rice's records of the 1988–89 NFL playoffs.

2008: League-Leading Touchdowns and Playoff Berth

Larry Fitzgerald finished the 2008 regular season with 96 receptions for 1,431 yards and a league-leading 12 touchdowns, helping the Cardinals achieve a 9–7 winning record and their first home playoff game since 1947.

2008: Outstanding Performance in 2008

The 2008 season was a huge year for Larry Fitzgerald, totaling seven games going over the 100-yard mark, including two games eclipsing the 150-yard barrier. In addition, he had three games where he caught two touchdown passes.

2009: Pro Bowl MVP and Recognition

Following up his stellar 2008 season, Larry Fitzgerald caught two more touchdown passes in the 2009 Pro Bowl, earning him MVP honors, despite playing with a broken left thumb and torn cartilage in his hand. He was also named as a First-team All Pro for the 2008 season.

2009: League-Leading Touchdowns and Playoff Berth

In 2009, Larry Fitzgerald had 97 receptions for 1,092 yards and a league-leading 13 touchdowns as the Cardinals went 10–6 and returned to the playoffs.

2009: Second-Team All-Pro Selection

In 2009, Larry Fitzgerald was named second-team All-Pro.

2009: Pro Bowl Selection

In 2009, Larry Fitzgerald was named to his third consecutive and fourth career Pro Bowl for his efforts.

2010: 2010 Season Statistics and Pro Bowl Selection

During the 2010 season, Larry Fitzgerald recorded 90 receptions for 1,137 yards and six touchdowns. Following the 2010 season, he was named to his fifth Pro Bowl.

2010: Youngest player record broken

In 2010, Aaron Hernandez broke Larry Fitzgerald's record of being the youngest player to record at least two touchdown receptions in a single game.

2010: 2010 Season Performance

In 2010, Larry Fitzgerald started the season with a game-winning touchdown against the St. Louis Rams and had multiple games with over 100 receiving yards, but the Cardinals missed the playoffs with a 5-11 record.

August 20, 2011: Contract Extension with the Cardinals

On August 20, 2011, Larry Fitzgerald signed an 8-year, $120 million contract with the Arizona Cardinals, making him one of the highest-paid players in the NFL at the time.

2011: Strong 2011 Season

During the 2011 season, Larry Fitzgerald had a strong performance, exceeding 100 receiving yards in six games. On November 13, 2011, he earned NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors for his performance against the Philadelphia Eagles, contributing to a 21-17 victory. Despite his efforts, the Cardinals missed the playoffs with an 8-8 record.

2011: NFL Top 100 Players Ranking

Following the 2010 season, in 2011, Larry Fitzgerald was ranked as the 14th best player in the league by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players list.

2011: Second-Team All-Pro Selection

In 2011, Larry Fitzgerald was named second-team All-Pro.

August 2012: Arthur S. Arkush Humanitarian Award

In August 2012, Fitzgerald was honored with the 14th annual Pro Football Weekly Arthur S. Arkush Humanitarian Award for his community and charitable contributions.

2012: Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Nomination

Following the 2012 football season, Larry Fitzgerald was named as the Cardinals' Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year and was one of three finalists for the national Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award.

2012: NFC Offensive Player of the Week

In Week 3 of the 2012 season, Larry Fitzgerald had nine receptions for 114 yards and one touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles, earning him NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors.

2012: Stellar 2012 Season

In the 2012 season, Larry Fitzgerald had a stellar performance, catching 80 passes for 1,411 yards and eight touchdowns, achieving a personal record of 17.6 yards per catch. He earned an All-Pro second-team selection and his sixth Pro Bowl selection. He finished ranked as the seventh best player in the league among his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2012 list.

July 1, 2013: Jersey Retired by University of Pittsburgh

On July 1, 2013, Larry Fitzgerald's #1 jersey was retired by the University of Pittsburgh. He was the ninth Pittsburgh player to receive this honor.

2013: NFL Players Association Georgetown Lombardi Award

During the 2013 season, Fitzgerald was honored with the NFL Players Association Georgetown Lombardi Award, which recognizes a leader in sports touched by cancer who encourages research, prevention, and treatment.

2013: Pro Bowl Selection and Season Performance

In 2013, Larry Fitzgerald had 71 receptions for 798 yards and four touchdowns. The Cardinals went 5-11 and missed the playoffs. He was named to his sixth consecutive and seventh career Pro Bowl. He finished ranked 22nd by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2013 list.

2013: 2013 Season Performance

In 2013, Larry Fitzgerald started the season with eight receptions for 80 yards and two touchdowns. He had multiple games with notable performances, including a game against the San Francisco 49ers where he recorded six receptions for 117 yards and a touchdown. He caught all 12 of his targets for 96 yards and a touchdown in a 30-10 victory over the Rams.

2013: Improved Season but Missed Playoffs

In the 2013 season, Larry Fitzgerald had 82 receptions for 954 yards and ten touchdowns. The Cardinals improved to a 10-6 record, but still missed out on the playoffs. For his 2013 season, he was named to his seventh consecutive and eighth overall Pro Bowl.

May 2014: Donation of Lenovo tablets

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.

2014: NFL Top 100 Ranking

Following the 2013 season, Larry Fitzgerald was ranked 38th by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2014 list.

2014: Henry P. Iba Citizen Athlete Male Recipient

In 2014, Fitzgerald was selected as the 2014 Henry P. Iba Citizen Athlete Male Recipient by the Rotary Club of Tulsa, recognizing his success in sports and positive role model status.

2014: 2014 Season Performance

In 2014, Larry Fitzgerald started his 11th professional season with the Cardinals, but the team's performance was hindered by instability at the quarterback position. Despite the challenges, on October 26, 2014, he had a season-high 160 receiving yards and a touchdown against the Philadelphia Eagles, earning him his third career NFC Offensive Player of the Week award.

2014: Youngest player record broken

In 2014, Mike Evans broke Larry Fitzgerald's record of being the youngest player to record at least two touchdown receptions in a single game.

2014: Playoff Berth

In the 2014 season, Larry Fitzgerald recorded 63 receptions for 784 yards and two touchdowns. The Cardinals finished with an 11-5 record and returned to the playoffs.

February 18, 2015: New Multi-Year Contract

On February 18, 2015, Larry Fitzgerald signed a new multi-year contract with the Arizona Cardinals, guaranteeing him at least $11 million over the next two seasons.

2015: Pro Bowl Selection and Statistical Achievements

During the 2015 season, Larry Fitzgerald had 109 catches for 1,215 yards and nine touchdowns. For his accomplishments during the 2015 season, he was selected to the Pro Bowl for the ninth time.

2015: Strong Performances and Playoff Berth

In 2015, Larry Fitzgerald had a strong season, including a game against the Chicago Bears where he had 112 receiving yards and three touchdown passes, earning him NFC Offensive Player of the Week honors. He became the youngest player to reach 1,000 career receptions. The Cardinals finished with a 13-3 record and won the NFC West.

2015: Wild Card Round and NFL Top 100 Ranking

In 2015, during the Wild Card Round against the Carolina Panthers, Larry Fitzgerald had three receptions for 31 yards in a 27-16 defeat. He was ranked 68th by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2015 list.

2015: First Back-to-Back 100+ Yard Games

In 2019, Larry Fitzgerald had back-to-back games with over 100 receiving yards for the first time since Weeks 2-3 of the 2015 season.

2015: Fitzgerald Reflects on Vikings Ball Boy Experience

In a 2015 interview, Larry Fitzgerald reminisced about his time as a ball boy for the Minnesota Vikings, emphasizing the valuable on-the-job training he received by being around football idols.

January 16, 2016: NFC Divisional Round Game-Winning Performance

On January 16, 2016, Larry Fitzgerald helped his quarterback Carson Palmer record his first playoff win with eight catches for a franchise-record 176 yards in the NFC Divisional Round game against the Green Bay Packers. Fitzgerald's 75-yard reception and five-yard touchdown reception in overtime resulted in a 26-20 win.

August 5, 2016: Contract Extension

On August 5, 2016, Larry Fitzgerald signed a one-year, $11 million contract extension with the Arizona Cardinals.

September 11, 2016: 100 Career Touchdowns

On September 11, 2016, Larry Fitzgerald had eight receptions for 81 yards and two touchdowns, becoming the 10th player to reach 100 career touchdowns, in the season-opening 23-21 loss to the New England Patriots.

2016: League Leader in Receptions

At the end of the 2016 season, Larry Fitzgerald led the NFL in receptions for the second time with 107. He moved from 11th to 3rd on the all-time career reception list, and ended the season ninth all-time in receiving yards. He was named to his tenth career Pro Bowl.

2016: NFL Top 100 Players Ranking

Following the 2015 season, Larry Fitzgerald was ranked 27th on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2016 list.

2016: University of Phoenix Graduation

In 2016, Fitzgerald completed his undergraduate degree with the University of Phoenix, fulfilling a promise to his mother and became a paid spokesperson for the University of Phoenix.

November 17, 2017: Contract Extension

On November 17, 2017, Larry Fitzgerald signed a one-year contract extension with the Cardinals worth $11 million through the 2018 season.

December 19, 2017: Pro Bowl Selection

On December 19, 2017, Larry Fitzgerald was named to his 11th Pro Bowl, but was later replaced by Doug Baldwin.

2017: NFL Top 100 Ranking

Following the 2016 season, Larry Fitzgerald was ranked 45th by his peers on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2017 list.

2017: Heritage Award from the Arizona Chamber of Commerce and Industry

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.

August 30, 2018: Speaking at John McCain's Memorial Service

On August 30, 2018, Fitzgerald spoke at the memorial service for Arizona politician John McCain in Phoenix.

2018: NFL Top 100 Ranking

Following the 2017 season, Larry Fitzgerald was ranked 27th on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2018.

2018: AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Win

In 2018, Fitzgerald made history by becoming the first African American amateur to win the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, partnering with PGA Tour professional Kevin Streelman.

2018: More Active Involvement with the Suns

Since 2018, Fitzgerald has gotten more active and involved with the Phoenix Suns.

January 23, 2019: Return for the 2019 Season

On January 23, 2019, Larry Fitzgerald announced he would return for the 2019 season and signed a one-year contract extension with the Cardinals.

October 2019: Active Venture Investor

As of October 2019, Fitzgerald had invested in 40 to 50 companies as an active venture investor.

2019: Statistical Achievements

During the 2018 season, in Week 14, against the Detroit Lions, Fitzgerald set an NFL record for most receptions with one team with 1,282. The gloves he used in that game and the ball he caught were sent to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He finished the 3-13 season as the Cardinals leading receiver with 69 receptions for a career-low 734 yards with six receiving touchdowns.

January 15, 2020: Re-signing with the Cardinals

On January 15, 2020, Larry Fitzgerald re-signed with the Arizona Cardinals on a one-year deal worth $11 million.

January 22, 2020: Buying a minority stake in the Phoenix Suns

On January 22, 2020, Fitzgerald bought a minority stake in the NBA's Phoenix Suns to become a partial team owner.

November 26, 2020: Placed on Reserve/COVID-19 List

On November 26, 2020, Larry Fitzgerald was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list after testing positive for the virus.

2020: Second AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am Win

In 2020, Fitzgerald and Kevin Streelman won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am again.

2020: Minority Owner of Phoenix Suns

In 2020, Larry Fitzgerald became a minority owner of the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

September 2021: Hosting 'Let's Go!' podcast

In September 2021, Fitzgerald partnered with Jim Gray and Tom Brady to host the ‘Let’s Go!’ podcast, a weekly program covering news and moments from around the NFL.

2021: Ranked Second on ESPN's List

In 2021, Larry Fitzgerald was ranked second on ESPN's list of the 50 greatest wide receivers of the past 50 years.

February 16, 2022: Implied Retirement from NFL

On February 16, 2022, Larry Fitzgerald admitted he was not planning on returning to play in the NFL, though he did not officially state that he was retiring.

September 7, 2022: Joining ESPN's Monday Night Countdown

On September 7, 2022, it was announced that Larry Fitzgerald was joining ESPN's Monday Night Countdown.

September 2022: Began as an analyst for ESPN

In September 2022, Fitzgerald began as an analyst for ESPN, where he provides commentary and analysis throughout the NFL season.

February 7, 2023: Remained part of the Phoenix Suns' ownership

On February 7, 2023, Fitzgerald remained a part of the Phoenix Suns' ownership, being one of three minority owners to keep all of their stakes with the team once the sale went through.