Arizona Cardinals receiver and NFL legend Larry Fitzgerald doesn’t appear to be happy that Michael Floyd was cut by the team this week.
When Floyd was arrested on a DUI charge this week, it seemed like a logical next step that he’d likely be headed to a new team following the season. After all, he never quite lived up to the first-round price tag the Cardinals used to acquire him, and he is in a contract year.
Then the Cardinals cut him.
Speaking about his “brother” Floyd, Fitzgerald offered nothing but positive words to support his former teammate.
“I got a couple calls yesterday from people around the league – head coaches, GMs – and I told them my honest opinion of him and that I think he’s going to be a great pickup for whoever lands him,” Fitzgerald said Thursday, per Bob McManaman of azcentral.com. “You’ve got a young guy who’s hungry, he’s eager to make plays in a contract year, and he’s got a chip on his shoulder now. Not that he didn’t already have one, but he’s got a bigger one. And I hope he goes and makes a deep playoff run.”
Of course, Floyd landed on his feet when the New England Patriots eagerly claimed him off waivers. It was a brilliant move by Bill Belichick that could pay huge dividends in the short term as New England challenges for yet another championship.
Fitzgerald refused to give his “true feeling” about the Cardinals’ decision to cut Floyd. According to McManamon, the locker room seems “particularly perturbed” about the move.
“I can’t give you my true feeling because people might get upset with what I really feel,” Fitzgerald said. “But, you know, Mike is like my brother. I’ve known Mike since he was 13 years old; we come from the same place (in Minnesota). I love him dearly and like any other family member, I’d never turn my back on him no matter what.”
The veteran and future Hall of Famer added, “Contrary to reports, Mike was never like an immature guy,” and talked about how everyone makes mistakes.
Of course, players should have seen this coming. The very same day that Floyd was arrested, Cardinals general manager Steve Keim made some comments about how the team would no longer keep players that weren’t “playing for passion,” and put the entire roster on notice.
It’s been a miserable year for this team, a team that was picked by many to represent the NFC in Super Bowl LI. This is just one of many things that have not gone according to plan.