Larry Fitzgerald was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday as the first member of the Class of 2026 enshrined in Canton. The legendary former Arizona Cardinals wide receiver had his bronze bust installed first during a family-centered ceremony at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium.
Fitzgerald sits second on the all-time NFL list for receptions and receiving yards while holding a number of receiving records. Fellow Hall of Famers and the gathered crowd applauded Fitzgerald as ESPN's Chris Berman introduced him and a video played showing off his career highlights.
Walking out in his gold jacket, Fitzgerald watched as his son Devin Fitzgerald pulled the cover off the bronze sculpture to rounds of applause. Devin Fitzgerald, a freshman wide receiver at the University of Notre Dame, helped reveal his father's statue.
Mentors and Minnesota roots
During his speech, Fitzgerald addressed Cardinals fans as well as the mentors he had growing up in Minnesota. That included the late coach Dennis Green, who gave Fitzgerald a job as a ball boy with the Minnesota Vikings.
Green came into Fitzgerald's life through his father, Minnesota sports journalist Larry Fitzgerald Sr., who passed away just months ago. Years after Larry Jr. left the University of Pittsburgh for the NFL, Green drafted him in the first round when he was coaching the Cardinals.
"Trust me, we had more personnel needs than wide receiver... but Coach Green and general manager Rod Graves trusted what I had to offer and picked me anyway," Fitzgerald said in his speech.
Fitzgerald also thanked and joked with two Vikings icons and Hall of Famers, Cris Carter and Randy Moss. After mentioning Carter, Fitzgerald joked: "Uncle Cris, since we got all them pleasantries out the way, I hope we both can agree my hands have always been better than yours." Carter was in stitches as the crowd joined in with laughter and applause.
Messages to Moss, family and fans
When it came to Moss, the other half of that dynamic 1990s Vikings receiver duo, Fitzgerald offered a joke that was more heartfelt. "People asked me all the time what I learned from Randy Moss and my answer was always the same: I learned nothing. Because there was nothing I could do like him on the football field, they called him The Freak for a reason," Fitzgerald said.
He added: "Randy, being acknowledged by you, someone bigger than life, it meant the world to me and I'm so happy you're healthy, brother."
In another emotional moment, Fitzgerald addressed the death of his father. "My dad, who I lost recently, is also here in spirit. I can feel his presence. He was the foundation of our family and the standard that I measured myself against. 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 also shouted out the fans who supported him throughout his NFL career. "I just want to show a little love to my Cardinal fans here in attendance today and to the Cardinals fans back home in Arizona," Fitzgerald said. "You guys supported us on and off the field over the years. You showed up at home games, you showed up at away games, through wins and losses. It's been 22 years and counting, Arizona, and I'll spend the rest of my life trying to replenish the well of goodwill I have been lucky enough to drink from."
