An op-ed by Cameron Cox, 12News Sports Anchor
Larry!!!
I can already hear the crowd.
This month we’re celebrating the greatest Arizona Cardinal. Larry Fitzgerald built a Hall of Fame legacy on two things: commitment and character. His impact reaches far beyond the football field.
When someone has given so much to a franchise, a city, and a community, it's hard to know where to begin.
So, Larry, here's my letter to you.
Dear Larry,
A thank you seems so simple.
But knowing what I know about you and what you value in relationships, I'm hoping you can appreciate the personal touch that only a letter can deliver.
First, thank you for proving the late great Dennis Green right.
The former Cardinals head coach knew you were the best player in the country coming out of college. But when he gave you your first job at such a young age, he also knew he'd found someone who would set the standard for hard work.
How does a ball boy from Minneapolis end up becoming as synonymous as a cactus in the desert… hands and heart!
Your amazing catches will live on NFL highlights reels forever, but these are the plays I’ll remember forever:
Seeing you play catch with kids before games. One game in Green Bay, a young fan was cold and in tears. Then you tossed him the football. The look on that kid's face... and the smile on his dad's... unforgettable.
I remember you trucking a defender down 30 in Atlanta, ripping the ball from a teammate after a crucial catch and racing it back to the line, saving the seconds that set up a major comeback in Cardinals history.
You once told me, “We don’t control the weather, how hot it is, how much traffic there’s going to be, but you always control your effort and your attitude.”
So thank you for all those times you acted like an offensive lineman running down the field. You made blocking for your teammates cool and tackling your friends funny.
Thanks for knowing that over the course of every season, fans will always react and overreact to wins and losses, but they'll always rally around character.
So much has changed after 17 seasons and 20+ years all in the same place.
You have, too.
But at your core, shining the spotlight on others has always meant more.
In a day and age of "me, me, me," to YOU, nothing mattered more than team, and that made it important to us.
You celebrate other people's success more than your own. You treat the last guy on the roster and the equipment manager like they’re the Hall of Famer. And in my opinion, that's your greatest accomplishment.
I don't have kids yet, but I can't wait to teach mine the value of sports. The same values we learned watching you handle success and failure.
I say failure but that's not true. Not winning a Super Bowl, but showing up every day as if your were playing for one only serves as a greater teaching tool for everyone. No failure in that, only lessons.
Losing hurts. Winning is a shovel pass. But playing without class and grace, that's unacceptable.
You learned that from your dad.
And speaking of the late Mr. Fitz, thank you for sharing him with us.
Talking with your dad on and around game days, following every catch of your career, was a joy. Hearing how much he loved you, your brother Marcus, and your family always reminded me of my own dad.
Tough love has a universal language.
When you were announced for the Hall of Fame in February, your dad was the first person I thought of. It'll always be one of the greatest honors of my career to give him a mic that night.
Anytime I'd bring up something great you did on the field, you'd always remind me, "This game was great before I got here, and it's going to be great after I leave."
But let me remind you of something: the game is better because of you. Your kindness and relentless commitment to paying it forward changed all of us.
Thank you for your off-the-field generosity. I'll never forget the times you showed up for Turkey Tuesday after the cameras stopped rolling.
The work you and your foundation continue to do in honor of your late mother, Carol, supporting those battling breast cancer is bigger than any touchdown. Your commitment, both time and financially, to making the world a better place doesn't get nearly the attention it deserves.
Then again, you never sought attention.
I'll end by saying this.
On behalf of all Cards fans, our message to you is the same one you've shared with your teammates so many times before:
"I love my teammates. It has been an unbelievable journey. One I'm so incredibly thankful for."
Larry, the feeling is mutual.
Congratulations, Hall of Famer.
Sincerely,
Cameron Cox, Lifelong Fan
Cameron Cox is an Emmy Award-winning sports anchor at 12News in Phoenix, known for his energetic storytelling and trusted coverage of Arizona's biggest teams and sporting events.