Cardinals WR Larry Fitzgerald To Return For 16th Season

For Arizona Cardinals veteran Larry Fitzgerald, he isn’t quite ready to call it a career just yet.

On Wednesday, the Cardinals announced that the star wide receiver would return for the 2019 NFL season under a one-year contract.

Fitzgerald will become the 16th wide receiver in history to play at least 16 seasons in the NFL. Only five wide receivers, including former Cardinal Ricky Proehl, have played more than 16.


“A fire burned inside of me my rookie year… a desire, over all else, to be great. To excel on the field. To impact the lives of others off of it. I’m grateful that the fire still burns just as bright today, and that this organization has let me chase that fire for well over a decade,” Fitzgerald said Wednesday on his Facebook page. “Nothing excites me more than continuing to chase greatness with everyone here on and off the field. Let’s get to work!”

In 2004, Fitzgerald was selected third overall in the 2004 NFL Draft and has gone on to become the Cardinals’ all-time leader in most receiving categories. In December, he set a new NFL record for most receptions for one team. He is an 11-time Pro Bowl selection.

Now 35 years old, Fitzgerald is among the NFL leaders in many receiving categories, including No. 2 all-time in receiving yards behind Rice. He is third in NFL history in total receptions behind only Rice and Tony Gonzalez.

Fitzgerald has made some of the most crucial plays in Cardinals history, including seven total touchdowns on the team’s run to Super Bowl XLIII.

During his introductory press conference Jan. 9, new Cardinals coach Kliff Kingsbury expressed a desire to have Fitzgerald back in 2019.

“What a great role model, what a great leader to have on your team. I would love and be honored to work with him,” Kingsbury said.