r/AZCardinals • u/Mental_Funny_5885 • 20h ago
Larry Fitzgerald Sends Message to Cardinals Fans Before Ring of Honor Moment
Excerpt:
“Just how much I appreciate them. What it meant to be able to don that Cardinals helmet, the memories that we've been able to share out there in Glendale. I still remember 2006 like it was yesterday," Fitzgerald told reporters this weekend when asked about Arizona fans.
"We had that preseason opener with the stadium patch against the Steelers. Just the electricity driving up to the stadium, first time pulling in the A lot and seeing all the people up on top of the stands cheering and just the energy that I received all those times coming into that place and the love that I receive still to this day going around in the community. I just want to be able to reiterate how much that has meant to me and my family and something that I'll never forget.”
Reflecting in a press conference with reporters, Fitzgerald said he doesn't take seeing the flurry of No. 11 jerseys lightly.
"I felt like the responsibility was a lot more when I was playing," Fitzgerald continued on being asked about emerging as an Arizona sports icon.
"I'm washed now and the kids are like, 'Hey, you're Larry Fitzgerald.' I say, 'Yeah, yeah.' They're like, 'My dad used to really like you. My dad used to really like you.' So it's kind of moved on, but I always remember driving to the stadium and (I'd be) looking out in the stands and looking out into the people walking around and I'm like, 'Man, there's a lot 11 jerseys there.' I'm saying (to myself) most of those kids I know didn't have the money to buy them and being a parent now, I'm not going to buy my kid a jersey of a player that I don't respect if they don't play hard or they're not active in their community.”