Arizona Cardinals: Larry Fitzgerald Considering Retirement After 2016 Season

Larry Fitzgerald will be entering his 13th season with the Arizona Cardinals. It now seems like it may also be his last.

When the time comes, Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald will go down as one of the greatest to ever play the position when looking at the type of numbers displayed over the previous 12 seasons. Apparently, that time could be coming sooner rather than later for Fitzgerald as the Cardinals kickoff the 2016 season Sunday night against the New England Patriots.

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NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Sunday morning that Fitzgerald expects 2016 to be his last NFL season, which really shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. With all due respect to Fitzgerald, the wideout isn’t getting any younger. At 33 years old, it seems like he only has two or three good seasons left at most.

If this holds up and Fitzgerald does end up calling it a career after this season, Rapoport is spot on with his comment about the wide receiver’s future in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. In 12 seasons, Fitzgerald has made a valid case for a spot in Canton by going to nine Pro Bowls while catching 1,018 passes for 13,366 yards and 98 touchdowns.

To top it off, Fitzgerald is coming off one of his best seasons with the Cardinals in 2015 after recording 109 receptions (career high) for 1,215 yards and nine touchdowns.

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As if Arizona wasn’t already motivated enough to make a Super Bowl run following January’s collapse in the NFC Championship, allowing Fitzgerald to retire a champion would be the ultimate gesture for a wide receiver who has done so much for the franchise over the years. Fitzgerald has always been considered one of the classiest players in the NFL, and if this news on retirement holds up, the former first-round pick will certainly be missed next season.