Minnesota's Larry Fitzgerald inducted to Pro Football Hall of Fame, honors Minneapolis roots
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Larry Fitzgerald was the first player to have his bronze bust revealed on stage Saturday at Tom Benson Stadium for the Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony.
Fitzgerald, a two-time first-team All-State wide receiver at Academy of Holy Angels in Richfield, was one of five inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame this year, including former Vikings runningback Roger Craig, former Panthers lineback Luke Kuechly, former Saints quarterback Drew Brees and former Patriots and Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri.
Fitzgerald, an 11-time Pro Bowl wide receiver who played his entire 17-year career for the Cardinals, was introduced by the oldest of his three sons, Devin.
He finished his speech with a message to his boys that’s applicable to everyone.
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“Don’t just pursue excellence for yourself,” Fitzgerald said. “Help other people pursue it, too. That’s the part of this story that matters the most. Not the likes. Not the fame. But the people you travel with. The values you uphold. In the end, it’s not just about the excellence. It’s about the people who help get you there.”
Fitzgerald acknowledged his Minneapolis roots during his speech.
“Martin Luther King Park in Minneapolis, Minnesota, is where it all started for me,” Fitzgerald said. “ Had my first touchdown, my first home run, first dunk, first fight, I even had my first kiss. And I almost drowned in the pool there at one time.”
Fitzgerald said he measured himself against his father, famed Minnesota sports journalist Larry Fitzgerald Sr., who died in June.
“Dad, I know there were times where it must have felt like you were carrying the weight of the world, but you always showed up, and your willingness to love and sacrifice with the consistency was the blueprint that I used to raise your grandsons,” Fitzgerald said.
Being drafted No. 3 overall in 2004 by Cardinals coach Dennis Green reunited Fitzgerald with the man who was Minnesota’s coach when he was a ball boy for the Vikings.
“When coach Green hired me as a ball boy, I grew up watching legends being built right in front of me,” Fitzgerald said. “Hall of Fame players like John Randle, Chris Doleman, Randall McDaniel and Warren Moon, who taught me what it means to demand more of yourself than anyone else ever would. Plus, they saw me.”
Fitzgerald also acknowledged former Viking Matthew Hatchette, who Fitzgerald said would stay after NFL practice to help hone the budding wide receiver’s skills.
Fitzgerald thanked Hall of Fame receivers Cris Carter and Randy Moss for their influence on his career during his time working for the Vikings as a kid. He singled out former Cardinals teammates Emmitt Smith and Kurt Warner for showing him how to be a professional.
“Kurt, when you demanded that I elevate my preparation, consistency and accountability, you dragged me to the winner’s circle,” Fitzgerald said. “The timing couldn’t have been better for an impressionable kid, and I continue to aspire to be the kind of man you are.”
Fitzgerald is second on the NFL’s career list in receptions (1,432) and receiving yards (17,492). His 121 touchdown catches are sixth.
