Larry Fitzgerald, Jr., exclusively wore an Arizona Cardinals uniform during his iconic NFL career, but he forever will be tied to the Vikings organization thanks to his father, longtime writer Larry Fitzgerald, Sr.
The namesake of "Larry Legend" passed away Monday at the age of 71, about two months before his son, who was born in Minneapolis and served as a ball boy for Minnesota as a high schooler while his dad covered the club as a beat reporter, will be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2026.
The Fitzgerald Family shared a statement after their patriarch left peacefully, remembering him as "A devoted father, husband, grandfather, and a true pioneer in the Minnesota broadcasting community."
It noted, "He spent his life pouring into the people and the city he loved so much."
The original "Larry Fitz" was a staple in the Minnesota sports scene, as outlined by The Athletic’s Matt Moret, beginning in 1978 when he debuted on Black community radio station KMOJ-FM. Fitzgerald was with The Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder from the early 1980s through 2021, and still attended Vikings press conferences and games on occasion as recently as last season. In the lead-up to Super Bowl XLIII between his son's Cardinals and the Pittsburgh Steelers, Fitzgerald, Sr., gained national prominence as the first American journalist to cover his child's performance in a Super Bowl. His offspring totaled seven receptions for 127 yards and a couple of touchdowns while Arizona lost, 27-23, in heartbreaking fashion.
Providing a glimpse into his tremendous respect for his craft, Fitzgerald, Sr., famously told ESPN before the game that he wasn't going to cheer. "I've come too far to suddenly show up in the press box with pompoms," he said. "But if you could put a monitor on my insides, you'd find a whole fan club in there."
That was one of 40 Super Bowls that "Big Fitz" covered during his own legendary career.
The following is from Moret's piece on Fitzgerald:
Fitzgerald, Sr., shared a close bond with both of his sons (Larry, 42, and Marcus, 41), often bringing them to the Spokesman-Recorder newsroom. He was a loving, proud father who was unafraid to speak up when he felt Fitzgerald, Jr., wasn't being used to his full potential. He publicly called out the Cardinals coaching staff in 2014 after his son went untargeted through three quarters of a game for the first time in his career, leaving Fitzgerald, Jr., to cool things off publicly. The younger Fitzgerald got his revenge a few years later in 2019, when his father's phone began to ring during a locker-room scrum interview.
"Can we get some professionalism here, please?" he chirped at his dad, stone-faced while his namesake smirked.
To show the wide-ranging impact that Fitzgerald, Sr., made in the media and in the community, here's a series of social posts, plus a tribute from Fitzgerald, Jr., that honor him and different chapters of his life.
Countdown continues
We're down to double digits! That is, we're 99 days away from the 2026 regular season.
As a humorous aside, Conor Orr of Sports Illustrated reminded to carve out time to do these things in advance of Week 1: Firstly, refresh your mulch, seed your lawn and plant new perennials; also, complete the reading of at least seven volumes of poetry, deep philosophical novellas, nuanced nonfiction books on World War II or multiple works by the Bronte sisters; and lastly, discover at least 13 ways to cook and serve chickpeas. On second thought, that list is pretty demanding, so maybe just enjoy summer instead.
However, more seriously, Orr celebrated the 100-day mark by offering 100 predictions for what's ahead.
They range from naming the big-game winner and recipients of awards, to suggesting what topics might emerge, and which players may outperform their offseason statuses. True to form, Orr also incorporates many laughs. Such as, predicting fellow SI writer Albert Breer to factor into Love Is Blind Season 11 in a "surprisingly outsized role" when the reality series hits his hometown Boston. Click here to read them all.
For the record, here are a few predictions that garnered our attention …
43. Thirty-two-personnel (three running backs, two tight ends) will become the new 13-personnel (one running back, three tight ends), which took the league by storm last season.
68. The Vikings will surpass their current projected Vegas win total (8.5).
100. Through the stress, the long nights, the days that seem too long and the years that seem too short, you will realize just how exceptional you are … and just how exceptional everyone else is, too.
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