Cardinals legend Larry Fitzgerald’s 6-word retirement truth bomb ahead of Hall of Fame induction

Arizona Cardinals legend Larry Fitzgerald is set to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday in Canton, Ohio, but the iconic wide receiver still is not ready to embrace one word often associated with the end of an NFL career.

Ahead of the ceremony at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Fitzgerald shared a candid six-word declaration about his post-playing career while speaking with Cardinals team writer Darren Urban.

“I have not committed to retirement,” Fitzgerald said.

Fitzgerald will enter the Hall of Fame alongside Drew Brees, Roger Craig, Luke Kuechly and Adam Vinatieri, adding another milestone to one of the most accomplished careers in NFL history.

Despite not playing since the 2020 season, Fitzgerald explained that his reluctance to call himself retired stems from a lesson he learned years ago from his grandfather.

Larry Fitzgerald explains why he refuses to embrace retirement

Urban wrote that Fitzgerald recalled conversations between his grandfather and a longtime friend who had played college football with him. Those discussions left a lasting impression on the future Hall of Famer.

“They’d talk about retirement killing more people in our country than anything,” Fitzgerald said. “It always stuck with me. I just don’t believe in retirement. I just think you transition into different phases, especially as an athlete. I was done at 38. Retire? There is no retirement in sight.

“I protest the word more than the actual thing. So I just won’t acknowledge that.”

Fitzgerald’s comments reflect a mindset that has defined him throughout his career. Rather than viewing life after football as an ending, he sees it as another chapter built around new opportunities and continued purpose.

The Arizona Cardinals selected Fitzgerald with the No. 3 overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft, and he spent all 17 seasons with the franchise. He retired from the game as one of the NFL’s most productive wide receivers, finishing with 1,432 receptions, 17,492 receiving yards and 121 touchdown catches while becoming the face of the Cardinals for nearly two decades.

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