Legendary Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald has not played in an NFL game since the 2020 season. However, the future Hall of Famer has yet to formally or officially announce his retirement from the league. As it turns out, he has a very good reason for that.
Fitzgerald put up one of the greatest receiving careers of all time during his 17 seasons in the league before quietly walking away from the game following the 2020 season. But even as he enters the Pro Football Hall of Fame as a first-ballot member, he has not officially declared his retirement, and he doesn’t plan to.
During a press conference ahead of his Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Fitzgerald recalled a conversation that he once heard his grandfather have with a friend, John Stroger, a longtime Chicago commissioner.
“I remember them talking about retirement killing more people in our country than anything,” Fitzgerald said Thursday in Canton, Ohio, via ESPN. “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.”
So even though Fitzgerald last played an NFL game back in 2020 and has no plans to suit up again, he is not using the word “retired” to describe his current situation.
“Retired? What do you mean retired?” he said. “There’s no retirement in sight. And, so, I don’t know. I protest the word more than the actual thing. So, I just want to acknowledge that.”
Fitzgerald Considered Leaving Cardinals
Fitzgerald played his entire 17-season career in Arizona with the Cardinals – a rarity for any player, but especially in the modern era of the NFL. However, it sounds like he at least considered leaving the team.
Ahead of his Hall of Fame induction, Fitzgerald openly admitted that he considered leaving the team, but he ultimately couldn’t seriously put the plan in motion due to how much he loved the team.
“I would be lying to you if it didn’t cross my mind, I didn’t think about it, maybe even had conversations about it, but never seriously tried to put it in motion,” Fitzgerald said. “I loved where I was at. And quite frankly, I don’t know if it would’ve meant the same for me if I went to somewhere where it was already some super team.”
As it stands, Fitzgerald will be entering the Hall of Fame as a Cardinal, and only a Cardinal.
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