Larry Fitzgerald’s induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame comes as no surprise to most Arizonans.  The 17-year Cardinal receiver was elected in his first year of eligibility as a first-ballot inductee in the class of 2026.

On the field, Fitzgerald has produced highlight moments that Cardinals fans will remember and cherish forever.

“The Green Bay playoff game, where he took the game over,” Brian Belaski told Northeast Valley News.

Belaski has been an Arizona Cardinal season ticket holder since 2004, and moved to Arizona in 2001.

Other fans recalled Fitzgerald’s late touchdown in SuperBowl XLIII against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

There’s no doubt that Fitzgerald’s accolades on the field are Hall of Fame worthy.

Fitzgerald was a three time All-Pro and 11-time Pro Bowl selection.

He finished his career second all-time in receptions and second all-time in yards.

One of his craziest stats?

He had more tackles (37) than drops (29) in his career.

But some of his best “highlights” might be—off the field. 

From teammates, sports writers, to fans, Fitzgerald has left an impact everywhere.

When asked how it felt to watch Fitzgerald throughout his career, Belaski said one word:

“Proud.”

For years the Cardinals struggled to even make the playoffs.

A franchise with only one Super Bowl appearance.

Yet, watching Fitzgerald gave Arizona sports fans a reason to cheer every Sunday—win or lose.

Belaski recalled a special moment during a Cardinals game he attended in the early 2010s.

“I knew I was watching greatness as it happened, and I felt like the rest of the stadium didn’t realize what was in front of them…All I remember is I just felt like chanting ‘Larry!’ ‘Larry!’ and then next thing you know, everybody around the section started doing it, and then it turned from the section into the entire stadium.”

A former teammate of Fitzgerald, wide receiver J.J. Nelson was drafted in 2015 to the Arizona Cardinals, and spent his first four years there.

“The first wide receiver meeting he walked up and introduced himself to me which I thought was very funny. Who doesn’t know Larry Fitzgerald?” Nelson said. 

From the jump, Nelson had to adapt to the standard that Fitzgerald had established in the receiver room. 

Nelson told us, “It just made everyone else want to elevate their game even more.”

But Nelson was quick to highlight Fitzgerald’s character— the “who” Fitzgerald really was, 24/7. 

During a team meeting, Fitzgerald mentioned he was going on a golfing trip to Alabama, Nelson’s hometown, and so Fitzgerald asked if his family would cook for him jokingly.

But the joke turned real, and Nelson’s family cooked for Fitzgerald and dozens of others on the trip. 

“We still talk about that to this day when I see him… All love!”  

Getting to the point where Fitzgerald has in his career was not immediate though.

The Arizona Republic Columnist and Senior Sports Writer, Bob McManaman, has covered the Cardinals for more than 40 years.

McManaman told Northeast Valley News that Fitzgerald wasn’t nearly as polished as he is today when he first entered the league.

“He started opening up more and more about himself to us as the years went by. I will always believe he truly enjoyed the circle of reporters and cameras around him at the locker every week, and the longer you stayed there, the more entertaining it would get.”

McManaman said he observed how Fitzgerald listened to the greats before him to refine himself constantly during his career.

A personal story some likely don’t know about Fitzgerald, but McManaman often witnessed as the most veteran reporter covering the Cardinals. The story goes the distance in solidifying the decency and good character quality Fitzgerald embodies. 

“Over time, I would linger around the longest and he genuinely enjoyed getting to know us on a more personal level. He would often end up talking about politics with me as we stood there alone and although we were on different sides of several issues, it never got nasty and instead was just a thoughtful conversation and never a debate. He made me think about some things I hadn’t thought about and I feel I did the same thing for him. I’ll never forget those moments.”

Fitzgerald is a testament to hard work and effort, not just in football, but in life.

“He’s a special human being, I’m proud to have covered him and his career and plan on being at his enshrinement to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio,” McManaman told Northeast Valley News.