Three weeks before the start of the regular season, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. is still a free agent. With the future Hall of Famer on the market, it’s easy to connect Fitzgerald with his hometown Minnesota Vikings.
But speaking on his radio show “Let’s Go” on SiriusXM, Fitzgerald downplayed the possibility of playing an 18th season in the NFL.
“For now, I’ll be a radio broadcaster,” Fitzgerald told Jim Gray. “To be honest with you, I just don’t have the urge to play right now.”
Fitzgerald has a career worthy of Canton with all 17 seasons coming with the Arizona Cardinals. During his career, Fitzgerald ranks second all-time with 1,432 receptions, 17,492 receiving yards, and sixth all-time with 121 receiving touchdowns.
Before starring with the Cardinals and the University of Pittsburgh, Fitzgerald established his roots in Minnesota. Fitzgerald was the Vikings’ ball boy during the 1998 season and had a front-row seat as Randy Moss and Cris Carter helped lead one of the highest-scoring offenses in NFL history.
But a potential homecoming with the Vikings is more than a nostalgia act. The Vikings are looking for a third receiver behind Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson and currently are relying on Chad Beebe, who caught 20 passes for 201 yards and two touchdowns last season.
The Vikings are also waiting on recent signing Dede Westbrook, who has been slow to recover from a torn ACL last season.
The Vikings’ dearth of options was one reason why Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio mentioned earlier this week that Fitzgerald could still sign with the Vikings.
“Fitzgerald could be taking a wait-and-see approach as to whether the team will put a legitimate contender on the field in 2021,” Florio explained. “Until he officially retires or signs with another team, it’s a possibility that can’t be completely dismissed.”
Even Fitzgerald kept the door open for a mid-season return during his interview saying he didn’t know how he would feel moving forward but for now, he seems content watching from the sidelines.
“…I think I have to be respectful of that,” Fitzgerald said. “Football is not one of those games you want to walk out there and play and not be fully engaged and ready to prepare and do the things necessary that you need to do.”
