Legendary Pitt Wide Receiver Larry Fitzgerald Inducted into College Football Hall of Fame
12/11/2024 10:32:00 AM | Football
LAS VEGAS—One of the most breathtaking wide receivers in football history, Larry Fitzgerald's catches at Pitt were described by Sports Illustrated as "mini-dramas in themselves, air ballets played out in full pads."
Fitzgerald's dramatic flair—as well as his phenomenal statistical production—earned him induction into the College Football Hall of Fame at the 66th National Football Foundation (NFF) Annual Awards Dinner, Presented by Las Vegas, yesterday.
More than 1,800 people attended, and countless more watched on ESPN+, as the star-studded 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Class received college football's ultimate honor. In total, 19 players and three coaches were inducted.
Selected in his first year of eligibility, Fitzgerald became the 25th man associated with Pitt elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.
"It is a tremendous honor," said Fitzgerald. "There is nothing greater than to be able to do something you truly love with your brothers and to be recognized, you know, in the highest way. All these men have done unbelievable things in their playing career, in their communities and paved the way for the next generation of players coming behind them."
Despite playing only two collegiate seasons (2002-03), Fitzgerald left an indelible mark on Pitt and college football. In just 26 career games, he totaled 161 catches for 2,677 yards (16.6 avg.) and a Pitt-record 34 receiving touchdowns.
Fitzgerald caught a touchdown in an amazing 18 consecutive games to set an NCAA record. In total, he set or tied four NCAA marks, eight Big East Conference records and 11 Pitt marks.
"Larry Fitzgerald's career at Pitt was absolutely unforgettable," Pitt head football coach Pat Narduzzi said. "It's not just the big plays he made, those gigantic catches, but it was the incredible class he displayed on and off the field. Personally, I will never forget him handing the ball to the officials after every touchdown. Pure class. Everyone at Pitt is so proud of Larry and offers their congratulations on his election to the College Football Hall of Fame."
In 2003, he was a virtually unstoppable offensive weapon, compiling 92 catches for 1,672 yards (18.2 avg.) and 22 touchdowns. Facing double and even triple coverage each week, Fitzgerald still led the nation in receiving yards per game (128.62 avg.) and TD catches.
Fitzgerald was named the 2003 Walter Camp Player of the Year, becoming the first sophomore to earn that prestigious honor, and won the Biletnikoff Award as the country's top receiver. He was unanimously selected a first team All-American.
Fitzgerald was the 2003 Heisman Trophy runner-up, finishing just 128 points behind Oklahoma quarterback Jason White. Fitzgerald carried three voting regions, an unprecedented achievement for a sophomore. It was the highest Heisman finish by a wide receiver since Michigan's Desmond Howard won the award in 1991.
In announcing his intention to enter the NFL Draft on February 9, 2004, Fitzgerald said, "The University of Pittsburgh has been a special place to me and I will be forever indebted to the many people who helped me as both a person and a player. It has been an honor and privilege to be a Panther. I will always work to represent this school as best I can in whatever I do in life."
The third overall selection in the 2004 NFL Draft, Fitzgerald went on to a spectacular 17-year career with the Arizona Cardinals. He was voted to 11 Pro Bowls, the most in Cardinals franchise history and the most by a former Pitt player.
Fitzgerald finished his career ranking second in NFL annals in receiving yards (17,492) and receptions (1,432). He was named to the NFL 100 All-Time Team, which recognized the best players of the first 100 years of the league.
In 2016, he received the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, which honors a player's commitment to philanthropy and community impact, as well as his excellence on the field.
Fitzgerald founded The Larry Fitzgerald Foundation in honor of his mother, Carol Fitzgerald, who passed away from breast cancer in 2003. The Larry Fitzgerald Foundation works to provide equitable access and new pathways to success for youth and honors his mother's legacy by supporting women and men affected by breast cancer in communities that have been historically underserved.
Through the foundation, Fitzgerald continues to expand his philanthropic endeavors as he fosters relationships with corporate partners committed to advancement in the areas of education and technology by donating significant resources and digital devices to schools and programs in Arizona, Minnesota and across the country.
Beyond the foundation's core mission of breast cancer awareness and youth education, Fitzgerald's philanthropic initiatives range in size and scope, from economic development projects in Senegal and Ethiopia, to delivering hearing technology in Africa and Southeast Asia.
In addition to Fitzgerald, the Panthers' other College Hall of Famers (with the years they participated at Pitt), are: Ruben Brown (1991-94), Len Casanova (1950, coach), Jimbo Covert (1978-82), Averell Daniell (1934-36), Tom Davies (1918-21), Mike Ditka (1958-60), Joseph Donchess (1927-29), Tony Dorsett (1973-76), Bill Fralic (1981-84), Hugh Green (1977-80), Marshall Goldberg (1936-38), John Majors (1954-56, as a player at Tennessee), Dan Marino (1979-82), Mark May (1977-80), Herb McCracken (1918-20), George McLaren (1915-18), Robert Peck (1913-16), Joe Schmidt (1950-52), Joe Skladany (1931-33), Herb Stein (1918-21), Dr. John B. Sutherland (1914-17 [player], 1924-38 [coach]), Joseph Thompson (1904-06 [player], 1908-12 [coach]), Hube Wagner (1910-13), and Glenn "Pop" Warner (1915-23, coach).
Full remarks from Fitzgerald, as well as other inductees, can be found by clicking here.