Once he decides to retire from the NFL, Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald won’t have to wait long to join some of the game’s best in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
We’re just not sure when that’s going to happen. Fitzgerald, 34, signed a one-year extension with the Cardinals this past regular season. But in no way does that mean he’s actually going to return to the NFL next season.
Though, if Fitzgerald’s latest comments are any indication, new head coach Steve Wilks can expect him to be on board.
Larry Fitzgerald on our set says he’s “excited about what the future holds in Arizona.” Not sure if that was an indication he’s made a decision to come back yet or not.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) February 4, 2018
Fitzgerald has continually made it known that he will not have a retirement tour. Once he decides to hang them up, that will be it. We’re not looking at him announcing plans to retire long before he actually does decide to walk away.
It’s also important to note that his father, Larry Fitzgerald Sr., just recently said that his son will never play for a team other than the Cardinals (more on that here).
The dynamic here is interesting in that Fitzgerald is still playing at a high level. This past season saw him record 109 receptions for 1,156 yards with the likes of Drew Stanton and Blaine Gabbert tossing him the rock. He still has a lot left in the tank.
Ultimately, it seems that how Arizona addresses the quarterback position will play a huge role in Fitzgerald’s decision. He’s not going to return to a team that doesn’t have legitimate playoff aspirations. That much seems to be clear.
In fact, it appears that Fitzgerald is giving a one-to-two week timeline for his decision.
And @richeisen just asked Fitzgerald who said things need to happen with personnel first. Rich follows up by asking if he means a QB. Fitz pretty much confirms but then says, “I’ll be ready in a week or two.” So there’s all that.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) February 4, 2018
This seems to fall in line with the Carindals’ quarterback situation and how that’s handled during the same time.