The Arizona Cardinals will immortalize Larry Fitzgerald’s place in the franchise’s history by retiring his jersey number this season. The jersey retirement ceremony will take place at halftime of the team’s Week 7 home game against the Denver Broncos on Oct. 25, ensuring No. 11 will never be worn again by a Cardinals player.
Fitzgerald, who was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this past weekend, will also be inducted into the franchise’s Ring of Honor on the same night.
The funny part of Arizona retiring Fitzgerald’s number is that he doesn’t believe in retirement. After his playing days ended in 2020, he never officially announced he was leaving the game, which stirred local speculation. Was Fitzgerald thinking of playing elsewhere? Asked about it last week in Canton, Ohio, Fitzgerald said there was a reason for this. When he was young, he heard his grandfather talking with John Stroger, a longtime commissioner in Chicago and friend.
“I remember them talking about retirement killing more people in our country than anything,’’ Fitzgerald said. “That always stuck with me. I just don’t believe in retirement. I just think you transition into different phases, especially as an athlete. I got done playing at 38. Retire? What do you mean retire? I protest the word more than the actual thing.”
What made Larry Fitzgerald a legend in Arizona
Doug Haller and Jeshua Kidd
The Cardinals drafted Fitzgerald with the No. 3 pick in the 2004 NFL Draft. Fitzgerald spoke about joining the Cardinals fresh out of college as a 20-year-old young man in his Hall of Fame speech. He gave credit, in part, to then-Cardinals head coach Dennis Green, who was familiar with Fitzgerald when their paths overlapped with the Minnesota Vikings, when Green was a head coach and Fitzgerald was a teenage ballboy.
“Trust me, the Cardinals, we had more personnel needs than wide receiver,” Fitzgerald said. “We already had my boy Anquan Boldin. He was the 2003 Rookie of the Year. He was ballin’. But Coach Green and general manager Rod Graves trusted what I had to offer and picked me anyway. It unequivocally changed the course of my life, from that point on.”
Fitzgerald spent his entire NFL career with the Cardinals. In the 17 years after being drafted, he navigated inconsistent quarterback play at times and put up big numbers. He had over 1,000 yards receiving nine times and finished his career with 17,492 receiving yards, second only to Jerry Rice (22,895) in NFL history. He led the NFL in receptions twice and in receiving touchdowns a couple of times, too.
He was named first-team All-Pro in 2008 and became a postseason legend. His 546 receiving yards and seven receiving touchdowns in the 2008 postseason still stand as all-time records. His impact also stretched off the field, with Fitzgerald winning the Walter Payton Man of the Year award in 2016.
Fitzgerald’s career ended after the 2020 season, and no Cardinals player has worn No. 11 since. His number is the sixth to be retired by the Cardinals, joining No. 8 (Larry Wilson), No. 40 (Pat Tillman), No. 77 (Stan Mauldin), No. 88 (J.V. Cain) and No. 99 (Marshall Goldberg).
