University of Pittsburgh Athletics
Larry Fitzgerald Press Conference Transcript
2/9/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Larry Fitzgerald Press Conference Transcript
2/9/2004
Larry Fitzgerald Press Conference
UPMC Sports Performance Complex
Opening Remarks:
Glad you guys could make it out. I would like to announce that I will forego my final two years to enter the NFL draft this year. I would like to say thank you to a few people first who have supported me at the university. I feel fortunate to have played here for two years. Mr.
Was this a tough decision for you or was this decision a no-brainer?
It was by no means a no-brainer. It was something that I had to really think about with my father and some of my family. It is difficult to leave a place that has been so supportive of you and everything that you have done and helped you to mature as a man ? not only as a man, but as a football player. It?s such a loving environment. There is not a coach on this coaching staff that I wouldn?t feel comfortable talking about my problems with. There is not a coach on this coaching staff that I wouldn?t feel comfortable coming back ten years from now and having a good relationship with, whether that be offensive or defensive. So it?s an exciting but sad time. That?s the only way I can describe it.
Is there a number one reason why you decided to forego your final two years?
Well this is the best opportunity for me right now to go and make a living. The main reason people come to college is to better their chances of making a living and I think the two years that I have had here have given me the opportunity to make a good living and support my family.
Do you got any idea of where you are projected to go in the draft?
I am not really worried about that. In April that will really take care of itself. So I am just going to train and prepare as best I can so that I can put myself in a good position.
Did the Maurice Clarett decision have an effect on you?
No, Maurice Clarett?s decision had nothing to do with what I was doing. Maurice is in a totally different situation than what I am in. So I am excited for him. I am glad he got what he wanted but it was totally different.
When you were weighing your options, what was the one thing that made you decide to go to the NFL over remaining here for your final two years?
You get to live a dream, and as a child that was something that I always wanted to do. I slept with a football my entire life. I can?t remember when I started doing that, but it was something I always wanted to pursue and to have the opportunity to do that. It is too hard to pass on.
Did the Willis McGahee injury in the bowl game last year have an impact on your decision to declare for the NFL draft? Did the possibility of an injury during a bowl game or regular-season game have an impact on your decision?
Well you know injuries are an occupational hazard when it comes to football. That?s something that comes with it. It is something that every team, every year must deal with. You look at the New England Patriots, they had to deal with injuries all year, but they were able to overcome that. Sometimes on a personal level you have to make the right decision for yourself. You never know when your last play is going to be. Fortunately for me, I was able to stay injury free during my career here.
When exactly did you decide to make your decision to declare for the NFL draft?
I am not sure exactly when I made it. My father and I discussed the positive and negatives of both ways and we came up with the decision together. I am not sure what date it was or what time, but it was a mutual decision.
Do you plan on completing your degree?
Definitely, that is a promise that I made to my mother, and a promise I need to keep for myself. Most importantly, that is something looked highly upon in my family. All of my mother?s and father?s brothers and sisters have attained their degrees in college and that is something that is expected in our family.
How NFL-ready is your game? What do you think you need to work on?
I am not sure how NFL-ready it is. I think I have the ability to play in the league. Everyone needs to work on something and all of my skills can be refined and made better. That is what I am trying to do. Improve on my speed and my catching and everything I need to do in order to become a complete receiver.
Will you finish out this school year and are you planning to go to the NFL combine?
No, I will not finish out this school year. I am going to start training and I am not exactly sure of my status on the combine yet. I have not gotten an invitation.
Are you going home this spring? Are you staying in
No, I really can?t discuss that right now.
Have you hired an agent?
No
Do you plan on hiring an agent soon?
I am in no rush.
What did you tell Coach Harris and what was his reaction?
I talked to Coach Harris last Thursday and we talked on the phone before this press conference. Coach Harris has been very supportive as well as the rest of the coaching staff. They have been very supportive of me. They want what is best for me.
Did you talk to Cris Carter? What advice did he give you?
I talk to Cris about once or twice a week. We usually don?t talk about football. We talk about a lot of other things that pertain to life and other experiences that he has gone through and that I am about to go through. He has been very supportive as well and he wants me to do the best thing for me.
Did the departure of quarterback Rod Rutherford and the departure of teams from the Big East have anything to do with your decision to leave?
No. A lot of the success I have had has come with Rod, but they have a quarterback coming up in Tyler Palko that will be a leader and I expect big things in the future. That was not something I wanted to do.
Would it be a good thing to unite with Dennis Green in
That would definitely be nice, but they have a lot of good receivers down there already so I am not going to say that it would be that great. Coach Green has definitely been a huge influence on my life, and it would be a pleasure to play for him.
Can you talk about the effect Dennis Green has had on your life?
Yes, he has afforded me a lot of opportunities. He got me in the door in terms of my first NFL experience at a younger age, he allowed me to watch the professional athletes work at a high level everyday. He gave me a realistic outlook on what it would take to get to that level. It got me learning earlier, because I knew what it would take to get there. I knew what those guys were doing to prepare themselves to be that great on Sundays. I tried to do that early when I got to college and I tried to take what the coaches were teaching me and apply it to my game. A lot of other guys don?t understand that you have got to accept the coaching that you receive and I learned that early.
Where do you plan to be for the draft?
I have no clue.
Is there something that you have done here at the
I could honestly say that I have not had any bad experiences in this town. On the field, off the field, these last three years have been great. Every experience that I have had with the city, the coaching staff, and the community has been outstanding. I love this city and the university and I am really going to miss it.
Did you ever think that by coming back you would be the favorite for next year?s Heisman?
No, I am not really an individual awards guy. That is something that is not really important to me. My roommate, Tyler Palko, told me that if I leave he is going to make sure he has one on his mantle waiting for me. I think in the future this university will have another Heisman Trophy Winner.
Do you feel that you have made an impact on the way people should handle themselves as a player?
I would like to think so. I try to set an example for people younger than me, as well as my peers. I have a lot of respect for the game. I think a lot guys don?t respect the game like they should, but to each his own. Every guy has his own way of handling things. I think handing the ball to the referee and not being a showboat on the field is the way it is supposed to be. That is the way I was raised and that is the way I play. All the excess celebration does not have a place in the game. I don?t like to do it.
Have you noticed that kids are now emulating you, handing the ball to the official after touchdowns?
I wouldn?t say that anyone is emulating me, especially in the pros. They give $5,000 fines. It wouldn?t take much for me to stop celebrating if they hit with a fine like that. I think it is more about the money they lose than anything. In high school, I know a lot of guys watch our games and think that handing the ball to the official is the right thing to do. It makes their job easier, and you never know you might get a call you may not have gotten otherwise.
How long have you been handing the ball to the official?
I have been handing the ball to the official since pee-wee. Everywhere I have been the coaches have been real strict on that rule. Even if I wanted to do something crazy I know that it wouldn?t be good. Especially here with Coach Harris, if you don?t hand the ball to the official that is a 100-yard bear c
How important is it for you to go to a team that you would fit in to? Are there situations with certain teams that fit better than others?
I really don?t think about all that. I just want to go to a team and help any way I can, whether that be special teams or blocking down the field. Whatever I can do to help the team win, I will do that. Whatever organization I go to will be a great organization like they all are. I am excited that wherever I go, I will do whatever to help that team win.
Is it a relief to finally make a decision?
Yeah I would say so, it is something that has been hanging with me for awhile. I am glad to get it out into the air and move on.
Are you ready for the pressure that comes from being a top pick?
I think pressure comes from within. If you put a lot of pressure on yourself, there is going to be a lot of pressure. I just go out there and relax. I am very confident in my ability. I know there is going to be skeptics out there, criticizing this and that, but all in all I know I can play the game of football. I have done it my entire life. I do it well. It comes down to your work ethic, being a coachable player and doing the things that have helped me come this far will lead me in the right way.
Have you talked to anyone with the
No, I think that is some kind of rule. They can?t talk to me until I am draft eligible. The Steelers are a classy organization, they would not do that.
What about the players?
I talk to a lot of the players. They have been very supportive. They have been telling me what to expect, the pluses and negatives. Those guys have been there for support.
What would it mean to you if you got a chance to play for the Steelers?
That would be great. It would be a great experience, but they have three great receivers already in Antwaan Randle-El, Plaxico Burress and Hines Ward. Those guys can all play and it would be very difficult to come in and get playing time with receivers like that on the roster. I would say that it would be great to come back to the city that is supportive of their Steelers. It would be a great experience.
Did you pick the
I picked this university because of Coach Harris and the success he has had before me with the receivers and the offensive units. I knew that if I came here and did what he told me to do, I would have success. He has coached numerous draft picks and receivers before. When I came here I tried to humble myself and take my lumps because it is a pretty difficult offense to understand, but I knew as I got older and more mature that I would be able to handle more responsibilities. He put more on me every week which really prepared me for this.
Why do you think you didn?t get more attention as a high school recruit?
I think it is primarily where you are from.
All I can say is the recruits that signed with this university are in for a great experience. It?s going to be a thrill for them. They are going to be somewhere they will be appreciated, loved, and pushed. They will be taught to be good citizens, good football players, and good students. It?s not about the name of the school and where you are going, it?s about the people around you, the care that they have for you and the care that you are going to get everyday. When you go into meet with academic support, Mike Farabaugh and Jan McMannis, they are going to push you to attain your degree. That is first and foremost when it comes to school and that is what the University of Pittsburgh will do for you. They are going to push you to be the best football player you can be and they are going to turn you into a quality human being as well. That is what is important and I think that is lost in a lot schools. Everybody?s pursuit is to get to the NFL but the University of Pittsburgh definitely made me a better person and a better football player as well.
What do you think of Rod Rutherford?s draft possibilities?
I am not too good at evaluation of other players. I will let the NFL front office do that. Rod has had a tremendous year and overcome a lot of adversity. To play at a high level for the past two years shows a lot of people that ability Rod has as well as the perseverance. I am excited for Rod. Whichever round he goes is great for him. I hope it?s high. He has worked hard and he deserves it.
Are you waiting to hear about your invitation to the combine?
I have no idea, but I hope I do get one. I want to get out there and meet with some of the teams. If I don?t get it then that is fine as well.
Will you work out there?
No, it is good for interviews and physicals and all that stuff.
Do you plan on having private workouts with teams?
That comes right before the draft. I am going to run in our pro-day here at the University of Pittsburgh.
