Larry Fitzgerald

Cardinals Sign Larry Fitzgerald To Extension

November 17th, 2017 at 8:00am CST by Zachary Links

It’s a done deal. On Friday morning, the Cardinals announced a new one-year extension for wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald. The veteran is now signed through the 2018 season.

The deal is worth $11MM and includes a no-trade clause, according to Mike Jurecki of 98.7FM. The pact also includes incentives that can give him an extra $1MM if he reaches No. 2 on the NFL’s all-time receiving list.

Fitzgerald was considering retirement and many believed that the 2017 campaign would be his last. It’s still possible that he walks away at the end of the season, but there is at least a deal in place if the wide receiver decides to run it back one more time.

There’s a case to be made for both retirement and continuing. On one hand, Fitzgerald could leave on a high note – he currently leads the NFC with 60 receptions and is on pace for 107 catches and 1,204 receiving yards. No player in league history has ever had more than 100 catches and 1,000 yards in a season started at the age of 34 or higher. The odds of an encore, historically, are not on his side. Then again, it’s clear that he still has something left in the tank.

If Fitzgerald plays out this new deal, next year will be his 16th season on the field. Only quarterback Jim Hart (18) and kicker Jim Bakken (17) have played in more seasons for the Cardinals franchise (Twitter link via Mark Dalton of the Cardinals). If he plays every game through 2018, he’ll match Bakken for most regular season games played in Cardinals history with 234.

There are also lots of NFL records within range for Fitzgerald. With another 141 catches, he’ll leapfrog tight end Tony Gonzalez for second all-time in NFL history behind Jerry Rice. The 10-time Pro Bowler (likely en route to No. 11) can become third in all-time receiving yards this season with another 227 yards, allowing him to bypass Randy Moss. After that, he’s just another 642 yards away from topping Terrell Owens for second place.

The Cardinals also have quarterback Carson Palmer and coach Bruce Arians under contract through next season, meaning that the familiar trio could return for 2018.

Cardinals, Larry Fitzgerald Nearing Extension

November 16th, 2017 at 5:29pm CST by Dallas Robinson

The Cardinals and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald are nearing an extension that would keep him in Arizona through 2018, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (Twitter link).

Fitzgerald, now in his age-34 campaign, has flirted with retirement in the past, and while a new contract would certainly indicate that Fitzgerald plans to play in 2018, that’s not a guarantee. Instead, the deal will simply ensure that Fitzgerald will spent next season with the Cardinals if he decides to return for a 16th NFL season.

Fitzgerald agreed to a similar extension in August 2016, inking a deal that contained an $11MM base salary for the 2017 season. However, that contract did not contain any guaranteed money, and Florio at the time described the pact as a “free disability policy” for Fitzgerald. As such, it shouldn’t be surprising if Fitzgerald’s new extension is similar in format.

Not only the greatest Cardinals receiver in the history of the franchise but one of the NFL’s best pass-catchers of all time, Fitzgerald is still plugging along in an Arizona offense that is down to its backup quarterback. On 88 targets, Fitzgerald has posted 60 receptions, 677 yards, and three scores. Essentially playing as an undersized tight end in Bruce Arians‘ offense, Fitzgerald is also an asset as a blocker in the run game.

The Cardinals aren’t in contention for a playoff berth this season, and conventional wisdom had been that the club had missed its final shot at a Super Bowl run. But if Carson Palmer (who is also signed through 2018), Fitzgerald, and Arians all return next year, Arizona could potentially take one more run at a title.

Under the terms of his previous extension, Fitzgerald had a cap hit of $4.85MM on the Cardinals’ 2018 books. That was because Arizona used a void year, enabling the team to spread out Fitzgerald’s signing bonus. Had Fitzgerald retired or left the Cardinals as a free agent, the club would have absorbed that $4.85MM in dead money.

Larry Fitzgerald Talks Retirement Plans

July 23rd, 2017 at 6:37pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite Larry Fitzgerald putting together a 107-reception season in 2016, he was not certain to return for what will be his 14th NFL campaign. But the perennial Pro Bowler decided to come back in February.

The Cardinals star wideout addressed his status on Sunday as he prepares for another training camp.

Fitzgerald, who is set for his age-34 season, said he does not want to see his production diminish to the point he has to retire. The former No. 3 overall pick in 2004 went three consecutive seasons without a 1,000-yard campaign before reigniting in 2015 (109 catches, 1,215 yards and nine touchdowns) and playing a key role in Arizona’s NFC championship game push.

“The end is never really pretty for elite athletes,” Fitzgerald said, via Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com. “It never looks good for the most time. You watch Michael Jordan in a Washington Wizards uniform or see Tony Dorsett playing for the Denver Broncos or Shaquille O’Neal playing for the Boston Celtics. It’s weird because you’re used to seeing them play at their most dominant stage, or Willie Mays running around with bad knees 20 years in.

“It’s not pretty but for me, I really want to be able to play and do things at a high level and be able to walk away and still be someone who can play at a high level.”

Fitzgerald is the only wideout still playing from the ’04 class. At this point, he’s the most experienced receiver in football. (Former teammate Anquan Boldin, though, is still contemplating a return for a 15th season. He’s visiting the Bills Monday.)

Injuries have not been an issue for Fitz; he’s missed just two games across the past nine seasons. Health will play into Fitzgerald’s retirement decision, but he refused to say 2017 would be his last.

“I feel good right now. When that changes, I’ll let you know. … “I don’t really make any decisions based on anybody else. I never really have. I don’t know what the future holds. That’s why this year is so much more important because we don’t have to think about what we’re doing after Feb. 4.”

The motivation of being part of a Super Bowl-winning team serves as the driving force behind Fitzgerald, a 10-time Pro Bowler, deciding to come back.

“That’s huge. That’s the only reason I’m playing at this point. From a personal standpoint and the things I’ve accomplished, they’re fine. But the thing that you will say is out of you control because you’re in a team sport, is a championship.”

Larry Fitzgerald To Return In 2017

February 1st, 2017 at 8:31pm CST by Dallas Robinson

Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald will continue his NFL career through at least 2017, according to Jim Trotter of ESPN.com (Twitter link). As of early this week, Arizona was still unsure if Fitzgerald would return next year, but those concerns have now been alleviated.

Fitzgerald’s retirement status has been a subject of conversation since the 2016 season began, while the Cardinals are also waiting on an official word from quarterback Carson Palmer, who is also thought to be contemplating the end of his career. Extended on the same day last season, Fitzgerald and Palmer are signed through 2017 and 2018, respectively. As such, the 33-year-old Fitzgerald is scheduled to earn a base salary of $11MM next season, though that figure is guaranteed for injury only.

The return of Fitzgerald, who’s been with the Cardinals since entering the league as a first-round pick in 2004, will add stability to Arizona’s wide receiver corps, and the club’s offense as a whole. At present, Fitzgerald tops a WR unit that also includes John Brown, Jaron Brown, and J.J. Nelson. Although the Cardinals’ offense now revolves around running back David Johnson, the return of Fitzgerald could further entice Palmer to return in 2017, especially given that it was Palmer who was attempting to convince Fitzgerald to keep playing earlier this offseason.

In his 13th NFL season, Fitzgerald once again posted elite production, leading the league in receptions (107) while acting primarily as a slot receiver. While his yards per reception hit an all-time low, Fitzgerald put up 100 catches for the second consecutive year, serving as something of a glorified tight end (who excels at blocking) in Bruce Arians‘ offense.

From a historical perspective, Fitzgerald doesn’t have much else to prove, as he already ranks second in NFL history with 1,125 receptions, eighth in receiving yards (14,389), and sixth in receiving touchdowns (104). The last remaining goal, then, is a Super Bowl victory, which would only cap Fitzgerald’s Hall of Fame career.

Cardinals Uncertain If Carson Palmer, Larry Fitzgerald Will Return

January 29th, 2017 at 2:28pm CST by Sam Robinson

The two players most associated with the Cardinals’ passing game this decade have not yet decided on returning for the 2017 season. Neither Carson Palmer nor Larry Fitzgerald has informed the Cardinals about his plans for ’17, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com reports. Both are considering retirement and have been for some time, per Rapoport.

While the Cardinals do not know the duo’s plans, they have been communicating with their quarterback and No. 1 wide receiver since their season ended. And although no set deadline exists, the team would like to know each’s decision by mid-February in order to have sufficient time to plan an offseason strategy. Key Cardinals personnel expect both to return, but Rapoport notes that thinking could be based on hope, to some degree.

A factor in Palmer’s decision will be Arizona’s quarterbacks coach. Freddie Kitchens will now coach the Cardinals’ running backs, with Byron Leftwich — a 2003 draft class mate of Palmer’s — recently hired to coach the QBs. Palmer has not worked with Leftwich, which is factoring into his decision, per Rapoport. Several NFL personnel — one GM, two coaches and several talent evaluators — believe Palmer will retire after observing his 2016 season. But many people close to the quarterback insist he doesn’t know yet.

The tandem’s contract extensions signed last August are not believed to be a factor in this decision-making process, according to Rapoport. Fitzgerald and Palmer are each under contract through 2017, and Palmer intimated multiple times late in 2016 he was planning to come back for his age-37 season. Fitzgerald, though, was more hesitant.

In December, Palmer attempted to convince Fitzgerald to play at least one more season. Fitz’s status for what would be his age-34 slate depends on Palmer, Rapoport reports. A source informed Rapoport Fitzgerald would have a harder time returning if Palmer retires due to the uncertainty surrounding the quarterback position. Much of Fitzgerald’s prime encompassed the years between Kurt Warner and Palmer, limiting his capabilities.

Palmer did not fare nearly as well this season as he did when he was an MVP candidate in 2015, but Fitzgerald led the NFL with 107 receptions. Fitzgerald is signed through the 2017 season and would make $11MM in base salary. Palmer is under contract through 2018 and will earn $15MM in base if he comes back. These two represent Arizona’s top two cap holds for ’17, with Palmer set to comprise $24.09MM of the Cards’ cap and Fitz set to take up $15.85MM of it.

NFC West Notes: Cardinals, 49ers, Williams

December 31st, 2016 at 9:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

Carson Palmer has attempted to convince Larry Fitzgerald to play for at least one more year, Dan Bickley of the Arizona Daily Republic reports. The 37-year-old quarterback’s having “frequent” conversations with the 33-year-old Cardinals wide receiver regarding his future in the NFL.

This runs counter to what came out of Arizona last week, when neither Palmer nor Arians admitted to making efforts to convince Fitz to return. Fitzgerald said he’s “uncertain” about his future as recently as last week, but he’s put up numbers that indicate he should have some time left as a productive pass-catcher. He’s notched the fourth 100-plus-reception season of his 13-year career and is 20 yards away from his eighth 1,000-yard campaign.

Fitzgerald is under contract through 2017 after signing a preseason extension, one that secured him an $11MM salary for next season. The Cardinals have needed Fitzgerald’s best this season after the other two members in a once-formidable receiving top trio have largely disappointed. Michael Floyd is no longer with the team, and John Brown has often been unavailable due to injuries related to a sickle-cell condition.

Here’s more from the NFC West.

A potential Arians retirement has become part of the Cardinals’ news cycle as the team drifted out of contention. But the 64-year-old coach who suffered a health scare earlier this season is not operating like he’s retiring. The fourth-year Arizona leader has begun making offseason plans for the franchise, with Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reporting Arians is preparing for free agency meetings, the draft and OTAs. A source close to this situation told Florio that everything Arians is saying publicly and privately go against a notion he’s going to step down. Arians himself said last week he’ll be back, and the coach has not been known for mind games since taking the reins in the desert.
The 49ers appear to be pulling the plug on the Trent Baalke era after six years, and Matt Barrows of the Sacramento Bee wonders if the team will go after what’s become a successful GM tree started by Ron Wolf. The former Packers executive helped the likes of John Schneider, John Dorsey, Reggie McKenzie and Ted Thompson to their current GM roles. Barrows points to branches beneath these decision-makers as options for the struggling franchise. Barrows names Chiefs director of player personnel Chris Ballard, 31-year-old Eagles scouting director Troy Brown and Seahawks scouting staffer Trent Kirschner as options, along with longtime Patriots player personnel director Nick Caserio.
Gregg Williams would be open to staying on as Rams DC but doesn’t sound like he thinks that’s going to be in the cards. The 58-year-old defensive boss thanked reporters after Rams practice Friday, per Jack Wang of the Los Angeles Daily News, understanding the new coach will likely want to select his own DC. “I don’t have hobbies. I’m happiest at practice; I’m happiest in games,” Williams said. “The coaches and players get fed up with me in the meetings, so we like to get out here. But, yeah, sure. I’m going to coach for as long as I can.” Los Angeles’ defense ranks 10th in the league in Williams’ fourth year in this position.

WR Notes: Fitzgerald, Floyd, Jones

December 22nd, 2016 at 7:10pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Thirteenth-year Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald stated earlier this week that he’s “uncertain” about whether he’ll return in 2017. The future Hall of Famer offered a timeline of when he’ll make a decision Thursday, telling Jim Trotter of ESPN.com that he’ll take a month or two after the season to determine if he’ll keep playing (Twitter links). This season has taken a “tremendous” physical toll on the 33-year-old Fitzgerald, he revealed, adding that the 5-8-1 Cardinals’ failure to meet their lofty preseason expectations hasn’t helped.

More wideout-related notes:

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick implied Wednesday that the club knew the full details of then-Cardinal Michael Floyd‘s Dec. 12 DUI arrest when it claimed him off waivers Dec. 15, but he indicated otherwise Thursday, per Lindsay H. Jones of USA Today. The Cardinals released Floyd as a result of his arrest, which came after he registered a blood alcohol level of .21 (more than twice the legal limit of .08), and owner Michael Bidwill said the 27-year-old showed “no remorse” and “was unapologetic.” Floyd responded to that Thursday, saying, “I love that organization. Mr. Bidwell treated me very well. I really don’t have too big of a comment [on him] saying that.” Continued Floyd, who could face a mandatory 45-day jail sentence, “I think right now it is about learning about that mistake. I couldn’t be in a better position right now with this team. The guys that they have around here are keeping me focused and working hard” (via Ryan Hannable of WEEI).
After missing the past two games with a toe injury, Falcons superstar Julio Jones will play Saturday in Carolina, head coach Dan Quinn announced Thursday (Twitter link). Despite Jones’ multiple-week absence, he still leads the NFL in receiving yards (1,253). He and the 9-5 Falcons can clinch the NFC South this week with a win and a Buccaneers loss in New Orleans.
In case you missed it, the Bengals’ A.J. Green will return from a month-plus absence Saturday. And Brandon Marshall, whom the Jets could release this offseason, finds the idea of playing for New England “intriguing.”

Zach Links contributed to this post.

Larry Fitzgerald “Uncertain” About Future

December 21st, 2016 at 4:57pm CST by Connor J. Byrne

Coming off three straight double-digit-win seasons and an NFC championship game berth last year, the Cardinals entered 2016 as Super Bowl hopefuls. Fourteen games later, they’re 5-8-1, clearly among the NFL’s most disappointing teams and set to post a losing record for the first time in head coach Bruce Arians’ four-year tenure. The 64-year-old Arians will return in 2017, he said Wednesday (via Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com), but franchise icon Larry Fitzgerald might not. The future Hall of Fame wide receiver is unsure if he’ll come back next year for what would be his age-34 season.

On the possibility of retiring, Fitzgerald told Jim Gray of Westwood One Radio, “No, I wouldn’t say that I’m contemplating it right now. But I’m uncertain about what I’m going to do moving forward. But I still love the game, I love the competition and I love being around the guys and competing for a championship. That’s a lot of fun to me.”

Fitzgerald is under contract for 2017, having signed an extension in August, but his $11MM salary is guaranteed for injury only. Further, there was a report in early September – just over a month after Fitzgerald inked his new deal – that he’d retire after the season. Losing Fitzgerald would be a massive blow for the Cardinals, of course, as the 13th-year man’s career-long track record of prolific production has continued this season en route to a 10th Pro Bowl nod. With two games remaining, Fitzgerald is two catches away from the fourth 100-reception season of his career. He also needs just 51 yards for his seventh campaign with at least 1,000, though his 9.7 yards-per-catch average is easily a personal worst.

Fitzgerald, whom the Cardinals chose third overall out of Pitt in the 2004 draft, has vaulted to third all-time in catches (1,116, trailing only Jerry Rice’s 1,549 and Tony Gonzalez‘s 1,325), 10th in yards (14,315) and eighth in receiving touchdowns (103, five of which have come this year). Thus, regardless of whether he continues past this season, he’ll go down as one of the greatest aerial threats in the history of the sport.

If Fitzgerald does retire, it would further put the Cardinals’ receiving corps in flux after the departure of fellow wideout Michael Floyd, whom the club released last week. John Brown, JJ Nelson and Jaron Brown are all under contract next year, though they’ve combined for 24 fewer catches this season than Fitzgerald has amassed by himself. Unsurprisingly, then, Arians doesn’t want Fitzgerald to go anywhere. The coach acknowledged that “the same team never comes back” on a year-to-year basis, but his “hope” is that Fitzgerald will return.

NFC Notes: Cards, Fitzgerald, Bears, Howard

November 14th, 2016 at 11:16am CST by Zachary Links

Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald told San Francisco cornerback Jimmie Ward he tore “something” in the second quarter of yesterday’s game (Twitter link via Josh Weinfuss of ESPN.com). Fitzgerald will have an MRI today to determine the severity of his injury.

Through nine games this season, Fitzgerald has hauled in 68 catches – second in the NFL to only Antonio Brown – with 687 yards and five touchdowns. Losing Fitzgerald for an extended period would sting for Arizona and they’ll be hoping for the best when those scans come back. In a worst case scenario, Fitzgerald’s 2017 season is still guaranteed thanks to the terms of his recent extension.

Here’s more out of the NFC:

Bears rookie running back Jordan Howard suffered a possible Achilles tendon injury in Sunday’s loss to the Bucs, coach John Fox said (via Mark E. Ortega of NFL.com). Howard, a rookie out of Indiana, was thrust into a starting role earlier this year when Jeremy Langford was lost to injury. Langford is back in action now, but the Bears were still relying on him as their top ballcarrier. For the year, he has averaged 5.3 yards per attempt. We should know more about Howard’s status soon.
The Vikings should have traded for a tackle before the deadline, Patrick Reusse of the Star Tribune opines. The Vikings were relying on fragile veteran Jake Long to hold down a starting tackle spot but that plan blew up in their face last week when he suffered an Achilles injury. Before that went down, Reusse believes that cap guru Rob Brzezinski should have figured out a way to carve out cap room to allow Minnesota to add a much-needed lineman. Now, Minnesota is forced to start T.J. Clemmings on the left side.
Cowboys defensive end Randy Gregory was hit with yet another suspension for drug use, but owner Jerry Jones says that the team is not giving up on him.

Latest On Larry Fitzgerald

September 12th, 2016 at 8:30am CST by Zachary Links

On Sunday, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com heard that Larry Fitzgerald was telling close friends that this season would likely be his last. However, the Cardinals’ wide receiver has no plans to retire after this year, sources tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com (on Twitter).

Fitzgerald signed an extension just last month that will keep him under contract through the 2017 season, though it is guaranteed for injury only. Of course, the 33-year-old is still producing at a high level. Last year, Fitzgerald turned in his best stat line in some time as he hauled in 109 catches for 1,215 yards and nine touchdowns. Last night, he caught eight passes for 81 yards and two scores against the Patriots. To put it simply – it looks like the nine-time Pro Bowler has a lot of football left in him.

This year, Fitzgerald is earning $11MM, tying him for tenth amongst all wide receivers in the NFL in terms of yearly compensation. If Fitzgerald continues playing beyond 2016 and the Cardinals keep him on the roster, he’ll earn $11MM once again in 2017.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

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