Future Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald’s days as the Arizona Cardinals’ number-one wide receiver may be coming to a conclusion
It’s hard to believe that 15 years have passed since the Arizona Cardinals drafted Larry Fitzgerald. The incredibly talented wide receiver has been everything that the organization could’ve hoped for and more. The third-overall pick of the 2004 draft has been voted to 11 Pro Bowls for his play on the field and has been nothing but a class act off of it.
Unfortunately, all great careers must eventually come to an end. Fitzgerald’s time as a football star may be running out. The Cards’ legend has been the franchise’s leading pass-catcher for quite some time, but that could all change when the new season gets underway.
Several factors could lead to Fitzgerald’s demise in 2019. For one, new head coach Kliff Kingsbury will be implementing the Air Raid offense that he ran at Texas Tech University. It’s a college-oriented system that could potentially leave a long-time NFL participant like “Fitz” out in the cold.
Arizona general manager Steve Keim, to the detriment of Fitzgerald, went out of his way to draft wide receivers last month. The front office added three highly-touted wideouts who could all play a significant role in the team’s scoring attack this year. Andy Isabella, Hakeem Butler, and KeeSean Johnson could all steal targets from Fitzgerald during the upcoming campaign.
Another lingering issue for Fitzgerald in ’19 could be a battle with Father Time. At 35 years of age, the Cardinals’ all-time great is certainly not the performer he once was. Fitzgerald will ultimately hit the wall, so it would not be totally surprising if it happened this fall.
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Fitzgerald would’ve probably been better off if he was playing out the string in a more conventional offensive system. Keim is moving forward with his new-look squad, however, knowing full well that the face of the franchise will soon be retiring. Perhaps Fitzgerald will prove the skeptics wrong, and thrill the Cards’ fans with one last awe-inspiring performance.