{"id":733356,"date":"2026-02-06T11:58:28","date_gmt":"2026-02-06T11:58:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/733356\/"},"modified":"2026-02-06T11:58:28","modified_gmt":"2026-02-06T11:58:28","slug":"larry-fitzgerald-a-pro-football-hall-of-fame-inductee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/733356\/","title":{"rendered":"Larry Fitzgerald, a Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee"},"content":{"rendered":"

Arizona Cardinals legend Larry Fitzgerald has a new title: First-ballot Pro Football Hall of Famer.<\/p>\n

The former wide receiver is among the five inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame class of 2026 after receiving at least 80% of the votes for the honor.<\/p>\n

He \u2014 along with quarterback Drew Brees, linebacker Luke Kuechly, kicker Adam Vinatieri and running back Roger Craig \u2014\u00a0will officially be immortalized in Canton, Ohio, later this year.<\/p>\n

It should come as no surprise Fitzgerald gets in on his first year of eligibility.<\/p>\n

When Larry Fitzgerald stepped onto a boat, everything changed. See his Hall of Fame moment in \u201cHall of Fame Knocks: Class of 2026,\u201d on NFL Network, Saturday, Feb. 7, at 10 p.m. EST. Class of 2026 presented by @VisualEdgeIT<\/a>. @LarryFitzgerald<\/a> @AZCardinals<\/a> @NFL<\/a> @nflnetwork<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/nXrL5lYhmt<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Pro Football Hall of Fame (@ProFootballHOF) February 6, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

His resume speaks for itself.<\/p>\n

Hanging it up for good in 2021 \u2014 although he never announced his retirement \u2014 Fitzgerald sits No. 2 all-time in both catches (1,432) and receiving yards (17,492) in the NFL record book. He added 121 touchdowns.<\/p>\n

Only Hall of Famer Jerry Rice can claim the top spot in the either category behind 1,549 catches and 22,895 yards.<\/p>\n

Fitzgerald, however, did it all with one franchise, something Rice can\u2019t say having played for three teams.<\/p>\n

Fitzgerald also had one of the most memorable postseason runs in NFL history behind 30 catches for 546 yards and seven touchdowns in 2008. The Cardinals couldn\u2019t get it done in the Super Bowl, but Fitzgerald\u2019s performance lives on through the minds of many.<\/p>\n

The accolades piled up in Arizona, too, with Fitzgerald earning 11 Pro Bowl nods and an All-Pro honor.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf I got to vote, he\u2019s first-ballot every day of the week. He\u2019s an unreal dude, unreal athlete, a great person of society around here,\u201d Cardinals linebacker Zaven Collins told Arizona Sports during Wednesday\u2019s Annexus Pro-Am at the WM Phoenix Open. \u201cI really appreciate what he\u2019s done for us. He\u2019s still involved with the Cardinals a lot. It\u2019s really nice.\u201d<\/p>\n

Larry Larry Larry!!!<\/p>\n

\u2014 Budda Baker (@Buddabaker3) February 6, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

But even with a concrete case at making the Hall of Fame, Fitzgerald didn\u2019t get too far ahead of himself in the days and weeks leading up<\/a> to Thursday\u2019s announcement.<\/p>\n

As he told Arizona Sports on Wednesday, \u201cyou can\u2019t count your chickens before they hatch.\u201d<\/p>\n

And for as much as he did on the field, Fitzgerald was and continues to be top tier off of it. His Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award in 2016 is a good reminder of that.<\/p>\n

Same with his influence and impact on youth education and breast cancer awareness through his foundation.<\/a><\/p>\n

Follow @Tdrake4sports<\/a><\/p>\n

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