Larry Fitzgerald life and biography

Larry Fitzgerald, Jr. is an American football wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was drafted third overall in the 2004 NFL Draft by the Cardinals. He played college football at Pittsburgh.

Pro Career:
Selected in the first round of the 2004 Draft; was the first receiver taken and the third player overall behind QB Eli Manning (San Diego) and T Robert Gallery (Oakland). In his six seasons with the Cardinals, has earned four trips to the Pro Bowl, the latest coming in 2009. Signed a four-year contract on 3/11/08 that will keep him with Arizona through the 2011 season.

2009: Selected as a team captain, started all 16 regular season games for the second straight season and for the fourth time in his career … earned his fourth Pro Bowl selection after establishing a career-high and tying for the league lead with 13 receiving TDs … became the first player in franchise history to record 10+ TDs in three consecutive seasons … selected to the Sporting News All-Pro team and to the Associated Press All-Pro second team … ranked second in the NFC in receptions (97) … registered fourth 1,000-yard receiving season of his career and his third straight, becoming the first player in franchise history with three straight 1,000-yard receiving seasons; joined Anquan Boldin (5) as the only receivers in team history with at least four 1,000-yard seasons … recorded 71 yards receiving in the season opener vs. SF (9/13) to surpass 6,000 career yards, becoming the second youngest receiver in NFL history to reach the milestone (26 years, 13 days) … registered one TD @ Jax (9/20) to mark the eighth consecutive game with a TD dating back to the 2008 regular and postseason; marked the fourth consecutive regular season game with a TD, tied the third longest streak in team history … tied career-high with 13 receptions (13, @ NYG, 9/11/05) for 100 yards and one TD @ Sea (10/18); marked 51st TD of his career, tying Ottis Anderson and John David Crow for third-highest total in franchise history … registered six receptions for 83 yards @ NYG (10/25); marked 75th consecutive game with at least one reception, passing Roy Green for the fourth longest streak in franchise history … registered team-highs with nine receptions for 123 yards and two TDs @ Chi (11/8); marked the 10th game with two TDs … recorded one TD on seven receptions for 73 yards vs. Sea (11/15); moved past Mel Gray (6,644, 1971-82) for fifth place on the franchise receiving yardage list … totaled four receptions @ Ten (11/29) to eclipse 500 in just his 87th career game, becoming the second-fastest receiver (in terms of games played) in NFL history to reach the mark (Anquan Boldin-80 games) … registered a team-high eight receptions for a season-high 143 yards and one TD vs. Min (12/6); second quarter TD reception gave him 10 TDs on the season, making him the first player in franchise history to record 10+ TDs in three consecutive seasons (10-2007, 12-2008); marked 23rd career 100-yard receiving game … hauled in two receptions for 22 yards and left the game early in the third quarter with a right knee sprain but returned later in the quarter to finish the game @ SF (12/14) … made 90th career start and recorded four receptions for 36 yards and one TD @ Det (12/20), to register the fourth 1,000-yard receiving season of his career and his third straight … recorded three receptions for 17 yards and one TD in the regular season finale vs. GB (1/3/10), to set a single season career-high of 13 TDs (third most in franchise history), surpassing his old career-high of 12 TDs set in 2008; moved into third place on the franchise career receptions list (523), passing Roy Green (522, 1979-90) … registered 82 yards on six receptions with two TDs vs. GB (1/10/10); had more receiving yards (628) in his first five postseason games than any player in NFL history, passing Randy Moss (584); had at least one TD reception in five consecutive postseason games, tying the third longest streak in NFL postseason history (John Stallworth-8, David Givens-7); marked ninth TD reception in fifth postseason game, an NFL record for a player in their first five postseason games … registered a team-high 77 receiving yards on six receptions @ NO (1/16/10); recorded at least six receptions in all six career postseason games.

2008: Started all 20 games in 2008, recording 11 100-yard receiving games and for the second straight year led the NFC with 96 receptions and a career-best 1,431 yards receiving as well as setting a career-high with 12 TDs during the regular season ... earned first selection to the Associated Press All-Pro Team ... became the first player with four consecutive 100+ yard receiving games in a single postseason ... for the fourth time in his career totaled 100+ yards receiving in the first half (102) vs. Mia (9/14) … recorded third straight 100-yard receiving game with 122 yards on eight receptions @ NYJ (9/28); joined Anquan Boldin (10 rec.-119 yds.) to mark the second time in three weeks that both eclipsed 100-yards receiving in the same game; Steve Breaston added 122 yards on nine receptions to mark only the second time in franchise history that three receivers went over 100 yards receiving in the same game (last happened in 11/10/68 vs. Pit) ... with Boldin injured, stepped up to tie for the team lead with seven receptions for 52 yards and hauled in two TDs vs. Buf (10/5); in 65th career game, reached 5,000 career receiving yards, tying WR Isaac Bruce as the seventh-fastest receiver in league history to reach the milestone ... with five receptions for 71 yards vs. NYG (11/23) he surpassed 400 career receptions, becoming the youngest receiver in NFL history (25 years, 119 days) to reach the 400 career receptions milestone; eclipsed 1,000 receiving yards on the season to become the third WR in franchise history with three 1,000-yard seasons (Boldin-4 and Roy Green-3); marked the second time he and Boldin have each gone over 1,000 yards in the same season (2005) and third time in franchise history that two receivers have eclipsed 1,000 yards ... registered 19th career 100-yard receiving game and sixth of 2008 with 101 yards on three receptions as well as a career long 78-yard TD @ NE (12/21) to tie his single season career-high of 10 TDs established in 2005 and 2007 ... had 130 yards on five receptions and two TDs vs. Sea (12/28) to establish a new career-high of 12 TDs on the season; marked 46th career TD to pass Mel Gray (1971-82) for third most in franchise history; marked eighth career multiple TD game and third of 2008 to tie single season career-high for multiple TD games in one season, set in 2007 … in his playoff debut, recorded 101 yards on six receptions including a 42-yard TD on a flea flicker vs. Atl (1/3/09) that was the fourth longest pass play in Arizona postseason history ... established a new franchise record for receiving yards in a postseason game with 166 on eight receptions and one TD @ Car (1/10/09) ... tied the NFL postseason record for most TDs in a game by scoring a career best three TDs in the first half and registered 152 receiving yards vs. Phi (1/18/09), establishing a new NFL record for receiving yards in a single postseason with 419, surpassing the 409 yards that Jerry Rice amassed in the 1988 playoffs with San Francisco ... tied a Super Bowl record with two TDs on seven receptions for 127 yards vs. Pit (2/1/09); dating back to the regular season he totaled over 100 receiving yards in a career-high six straight games.

2007: Started all 15 games played and was selected as a starter for second career Pro Bowl (2005) after finishing the season atop the NFC in receptions (100) and receiving yards (1,409); receiving yards in 2007 tied his own career best set in 2005 for the fourth-most in franchise history; along with Anquan Boldin became the first teammates in NFL history to record performances of 11+ catches and 160+ receiving yards in consecutive weeks (Boldin, 13 for 162 and 2 TDs vs. Atl 12/23; Fitzgerald 11 for 171 and 2 TDs vs. StL 12/30) … recorded first 100-yard receiving game of the season and 10th of his career catching a game-high 10 passes for 120 yards and recovering a Jeff Reed onside kick vs. Pit (9/30) … for the eighth straight week led team in receptions with nine for a season-high 156 yards and two TDs including a 48-yard hail mary to end the first half vs. SF (11/25); surpassed 1,000 receiving yards on the season for the second time in his career (1,409 in 2005); by doing it in 11 games became the second-fastest Cardinal receiver to reach the mark; passed Larry Centers (29, 1990-98) to record the most TDs by a Cardinal (30) since the team moved to Arizona in 1988 … after being limited in practice for second straight week recorded an 18-yard TD reception @ NO (12/16) to give him at least one in each of the last five games … set franchise record with 136 receiving yards in the first half and went on to register a season-best 11 receptions for 171 yards (13th career 100+ yard game, fourth of 2007) and two TDs vs. StL (12/30); teamed with Edgerrin James (102) and Kurt Warner (300) to become the first trio to record at least 100-yards receiving, 100-yards rushing and 300-yards passing in the same game since 10/7/84 @ Dal when Neil Lomax (354), Roy Green (189) and Ottis Anderson (110) achieved the feat; total of 10 TDs on the season tied his previous career-best set in 2005.

2006: With 946 yards on 69 catches (six TDs), he finished just shy of his second career 1,000-yard season despite missing three starts due to injury … for the second year in a row, opened the season with over 100 yards receiving after hauling in nine passes for 133 yards vs. SF (9/10) … starting his 37th straight game, caught two passes for 15 yards, including a five-yard TD pass from Matt Leinart to give the Cardinals an early 14-0 lead before leaving in the second quarter with a hamstring injury vs. KC (10/8); marked his 30th game in a row with at least one catch … inactive for the first time in his NFL career with a hamstring injury vs. Chi (10/16) on Monday Night and had to miss the next three contests … while recording his ninth career 100-yard game, set a new career-high with 172 yards on 11 receptions @ Min (11/26); his 172 yards were the highest in the NFL in week 12 and with Anquan Boldin’s 140 yards marked the fifth time that the duo both finished a game with over 100 yards receiving; 11 receptions also put him over 200 career receptions (205) … led the team with 77 yards on five catches vs. Den (12/17); eclipsed the 3,000-yard receiving mark for his career … for the second game in a row, led the Cardinals with 93 yards receiving on four catches, including a six-yard TD @ SF (12/24).

2005: Set a new franchise record for receptions in a season with 103 in his second season … recorded a career-high 13 receptions for 155 yards and one TD in the season opener @ NYG (9/11) … recorded his second consecutive 100+ receiving day vs. Car (10/9) hauling in nine receptions for 136 yards and one TD; he and Boldin became the first WRs to record 100 or more yards in consecutive games since Kevin Dyson and Derrick Mason did on 11/25 and 12/2/01 for the Tennessee Titans … recorded his fourth 100+ game of the season after grabbing eight passes for 102 yards vs. Sea (11/6) … recorded his fifth 100-yard receiving game and his second consecutive @ Det (11/13) after hauling in nine passes for 141 yards including an eight-yard TD pass from Kurt Warner … recorded four receptions for 41 yards and fell one-yard shy of breaking 1,000 yards on the season vs. Jax (11/27); added a five-yard TD reception from Warner to put the Cardinals within seven points with just under three minutes remaining in the game … surpassed 1,000 yards on his first reception of the day @ SF (12/4) and finished the afternoon with eight receptions for 129 yards … recorded six catches for 85 yards and one TD @ Hou (12/18) and became only the sixth player in team history to record more than 90 receptions in a single season … set a new team record for receptions in a season with 103 for 1,409 yards after posting six receptions for 80 yards @ Ind (1/1) … along with Boldin, the duo became only the third pair of teammates in NFL history to post 1,400+ receiving yards in a season and the third set to record over 100 receptions in the same season.

2004: The Cardinals first overall selection in the 2004 draft (third overall), led the team and finished second among NFL rookies in receiving with 58 receptions for 780 yards and eight TDs … in his first career start @ StL (9/12), caught nine passes for a team-high 70 receiving yards; opened the game with a 37-yard flea flicker reception from Josh McCown which was the longest offensive play of the game for either team … had a team-high five receptions for 94 yards and scored his first career TD, a 24-yard pass from McCown @ SF (10/10) … recorded a 39-yard reception on the second play of the game en route to four receptions for a team-high 73 yards vs. Sea (10/24); attempted a pass on the first play of the game but was sacked for a loss of seven yards; recorded a 25-yard TD grab on the Cardinals second drive of the game, putting the Cards on the board first with a 7-0 lead … did not record a reception for the first time all season @ Buf (10/31); in the windy conditions the Cardinals completed only nine passes … tied Boldin for receptions with five for 92 yards @ Mia (11/7), four of those receptions came for 84 yards in the fourth quarter; set-up a five-yard Emmitt Smith TD run after connecting with McCown for a 32-yard gain; caught a 48-yard pass from McCown to put the Cardinals on the Miami three yard-line with 1:07 remaining; four plays later tied the score at 23 with a two-yard TD reception with 19 seconds remaining; Neil Rackers extra point gave the Cardinals a 24-23 lead to win the game; his 48-yard reception at Miami was the team’s longest all season … snagged two 29-yard TD passes from McCown in the fourth quarter @ Sea (12/26) to put the Cardinals to within three points; finished the game with four receptions for 70 yards … became the first Cardinals’ receiver since the 1970 NFL/AFL Merger to catch two TD passes in two consecutive games.

College:
Attended prep school at Valley Forge (PA) Military Academy after his senior year of high school ... was eligible for the 2004 NFL Draft since three years had passed since his high school class graduated ... one of the most decorated receivers in Big East Conference history … a Heisman trophy finalist in 2003, finished second to Oklahoma QB Jason White by just 128 points (1,481-1,353) … Walter Camp Player-of-the-Year, Biletnikoff Award winner, and Columbus Touchdown Club Player-of-the-Year … unanimous All-America selection as a sophomore at University of Pittsburgh … in just 26 games with the Panthers, caught 161 passes for 2,677 yards (16.6-yard avg.) and 34 TDs … only Antonio Bryant (173, 1999–2001) and Latef Grim (178, 1998–2000) recorded more receptions in a career at Pittsburgh … his 2,677 yards rank behind Grim (2,680), Dietrich Jells (3,003, 1991–95) and Bryant (3,061), and 34 receiving scores broke the school career record of 30 by Bryant … also holds the school record with at least one TD catch in 16 consecutive games … first player in school history with back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons receiving … his 14 games with at least 100 yards receiving broke the previous Panthers all-time record of 13 set by Bryant … posted 35 receptions for 420 yards and seven TDs in six games at Valley Forge Military Academy.

Personal:
Full name Larry Darnell Fitzgerald … two-time all-state and prep All-America receiver at Academy of the Holy Angels High School in Minneapolis, MN … recorded 73 receptions for 1,254 yards (17.2-yard avg.) and 17 TDs as a senior, 54 catches for 1,347 yards (24.9-yard avg.) with 12 TDs and had 10 consecutive 100-yard receiving games as a junior … also a three-year defensive starter, playing free safety as a senior and outside linebacker as a junior and sophomore … lettered twice in basketball and once in track … studied in the College of Arts and Sciences at Pittsburgh … father, Larry Sr., played football at Indiana State from 1975–77 ... Larry Sr. is currently the sports editor for the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder … his mother, Carol, passed away in April of 2003 after a seven-year bout with cancer; Larry keeps her driver’s license in his wallet next to his own … younger brother, Marcus, played WR at Marshall from 2004-07.

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