CANTON, Ohio – Larry Fitzgerald’s amazing journey is finally complete.
The former NFL ball boy, who would go on to carve out a record-setting 17-year NFL career for the Arizona Cardinals as the franchise’s
most decorated and beloved wide receiver of all-time, was officially enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday, Aug. 8. He was the first of this year's five inductees to take the stage.
Fellow Hall of Fame receiver Cris Carter, a longtime friend and mentor who played for the Minnesota Vikings when Fitzgerald was a ball boy for the team, presented Fitzgerald with the hallowed gold jacket during the Hall’s Gold Jacket Dinner event on Friday night, Aug. 7.
Fitzgerald’s son, Devin, introduced his father during enshrinement ceremonies on Saturday at Tom Benson Stadium and helped unveil his bronze bust. That honor was originally intended for Fitzgerald’s dad, Larry Sr., but the elder Fitzgerald passed away on June 1 at age 71.
In addition to Fitzgerald, four other former NFL greats were officially inducted into the 2026 Hall of Fame class: former Saints quarterback Drew Brees, 49ers running back Roger Craig, Panthers linebacker Luke Kuechly and kicker Adam Vinatieri, who starred with the Patriots and Colts.
Fitzgerald and Brees are each first-ballot Hall of Famers. Kuechly and Vinatieri got in during their second time as finalists. Craig, a three-time Super Bowl champion, was inducted after being chosen from the senior category.
“I don’t think you should be disappointed if you’re a second- or third- or fourth-ballot Hall of Famer,” Fitzgerald told The Arizona Republic ahead of his enshrinement. “You’re in, but sometimes you put these unrealistic expectations on yourself that I think can be detrimental to your psyche and well-being. That was the main reason I never did that. I just stayed in my place and where I felt like I was good to be.”
The third overall pick in the 2004 NFL draft out of Pitt, Fitzgerald earned All-Pro honors three times and was named to the Pro Bowl 11 times in addition to being selected to the NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team and named the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year (2016). He finished his career ranked second all-time behind Jerry Rice in career receptions (1,432) and receiving yards (17,492) and is sixth in total receiving touchdowns (121).
He owns virtually every receiving record in Cardinals’ history.
Fitzgerald becomes the 24th player in the Hall of Fame with a connection to the Cardinals, and 13th whose career was primarily spent with the franchise. Prior to Fitzgerald, the last Cardinals player inducted was Kurt Warner in 2017, who was Fitzgerald's teammate in Arizona from 2005-09.
Though Fitzgerald played his final season with the Cardinals in 2020 at age 37, he’s never said he is retired and still hasn’t filed any official retirement papers with the NFL. During an interview session with reporters in Canton on Thursday, Aug. 6, he explained why that is.
It’s because of a conversation he heard his grandfather having with a good friend.
“I remember them talking about retirement killing more people in our country than anything," Fitzgerald said. "And so that always stuck with me. And so, I just don't believe in retirement. I just think you transition into different phases, especially as an athlete.
“There's no retirement in sight. And, so, I don't know. I protest the word more than the actual thing.”
(This story is developing. Check back for more updates).
Reach McManaman at bob.mcmanaman@arizonarepublic .Follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @azbobbymac and listen to him live every Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. on Roc and Manuch with Jimmy B on ESPN 620 (KTAR-AM) and every Thursday on the Doug Franz Unplugged podcast via Apple or Spotify.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona Cardinals great Larry Fitzgerald enshrined into Hall of Fame
