The 10 highest-paid players in the National Football League
Breaking down the 10 highest-paid players in the NFL, with Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray as an honorable mention coming in at No. 11.
Larry Fitzgerald knows a thing or two about expectations. Two decades before Marvin Harrison Jr. came to town as a top-five draft pick tasked with elevating a dormant franchise, that same responsibility fell on Fitzgerald.
What he did next, of course, came to define the most successful era of Arizona Cardinals football since the organization moved to Arizona. Seventeen seasons, 1,432 receptions, 17,492 yards, 121 touchdowns. The franchise’s lone Super Bowl appearance. A gold jacket in the making.
That’s the experience that Fitzgerald can share with Harrison as he navigates the beginning of his own NFL career. The two haven’t been in regular contact, but Fitzgerald estimates they’ve talked “five or six times” over the past year.
“If he ever needs anything, I told him, I’m always available for him any way I can be helpful,” Fitzgerald said. “But fortunately he has a father who was a heck of a lot better than I was so he can tap into him whenever he likes.”
In an inconsistent rookie year, Harrison paired tantalizing peaks with prolonged quiet stretches. He finished with 62 catches for 885 yards and eight touchdowns. In contrast to the explosive rookie seasons produced by receivers Malik Nabers and Brian Thomas Jr., those numbers appeared pedestrian.
But even if the two haven’t built a close bond, Fitzgerald considers himself an admirer of Harrison’s play.
“I saw a guy who made a lot of plays,” Fitzgerald said. “He did a really good job. When the ball came to him, he made his plays. He’s only gonna continue to get better so I’m excited to see his Year 2.”
Fitzgerald understands the learning curve better than most. As a rookie, he finished with 58 catches for 780 yards and eight touchdowns — similar numbers to Harrison across the board. The next year, he broke out with 103 catches for 1,409 yards and 10 touchdowns, setting the path for his Hall of Fame career.
Jonathan Gannon: Kyler Murray ‘means everything to us’
Fitzgerald’s comments about Harrison came on May 17 at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, where he served as an assistant coach in Kyler Murray’s inaugural charity celebrity softball game.
The event brought together a collection of stars that extended far beyond the Valley. Cowboys receivers CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens both participated, as did a handful of NBA players, including former Suns fan favorite Cam Johnson. Gary Payton, the Hall of Fame point guard, coached alongside Fitzgerald.
Murray’s team, though, largely consisted of the Cardinals’ biggest names — players like Harrison, Trey McBride, James Conner and Budda Baker.
The event also brought together members of the organization who weren’t participating. Head coach Jonathan Gannon, offensive coordinator Drew Petzing and quarterbacks coach Israel Woolfork were all on the field pregame. Recently drafted rookies milled around, chatting with their new teammates.
To Gannon, it was a reflection of the bond his team shares.
“Good teams stay connected,” Gannon said. “They care about each other.”
And, Gannon added, it was no accident that Murray was the one who brought so many pieces of the organization’s past and present together.
“He means everything to us,” Gannon said. “He’s our heartbeat. We go as he goes. So it’ll be a fun year.”
Fitzgerald, too, complimented Murray’s efforts. Fitzgerald hosted a celebrity softball game each spring at Salt River Fields before handing over that responsibility to the player who succeeded him as the face of the franchise.
“He’s elevated it way better than I could’ve ever done it,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s great to see him doing this and raising awareness for a really worthy cause. Look at the turnout. It looks like a couple thousand people came. So this is awesome to be able to see this, so they can continue to do this for years to come, hopefully.”