Larry Fitzgerald becomes 25th Pitt player named to College Football Hall of Fame

Pitt legend Larry Fitzgerald, who needed only 26 games to become one of the most productive and awe-inspiring wide receivers in history, was selected Monday to the College Football Hall of Fame.

He was selected in his first year of eligibility and is the 25th man with Pitt ties to earn the game’s highest distinction.

Playing in only two seasons (2002-2003), Fitzgerald totaled 161 catches for 2,677 yards, an average of 16.6. He holds the Pitt record of 34 receiving touchdowns, which breaks down to about one for every five receptions.

Fitzgerald caught a touchdown pass in 18 consecutive games— an NCAA record — while setting or matching four other NCAA standards, eight Big East records and 11 Pitt marks.

Fitzgerald’s catches were described by Sports Illustrated as “mini-dramas in themselves, air ballets played out in full pads.”

“Larry Fitzgerald’s career at Pitt was absolutely unforgettable,” Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said in a statement. “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.”

Said Pitt athletic director Heather Lyke in a statement: “Larry Fitzgerald is a Hall of Famer by any definition, not only for his incredible play on the field but also for his passionate commitment to helping others. The University of Pittsburgh is incredibly proud to call Larry a Panther. We look forward to welcoming him back to campus this fall to celebrate this richly deserved honor.”

In 2003, he recorded 92 catches for 1,672 yards (18.2 average) and 22 touchdowns. Opposing defenses often targeted him with double and triple coverage, but he fought through the increased attention to lead the nation in receiving yards per game (128.6) and touchdown receptions.

That season, he was named the Walter Camp Player of the Year, the first sophomore to earn that honor. He also won the Biletnikoff Award as the country’s top receiver and was unanimously selected a first-team All-American.

The only major award that eluded him was the Heisman Trophy, finishing second by 128 voting points to Oklahoma quarterback Jason White. It was the highest Heisman finish by a wide receiver since Michigan’s Desmond Howard won in 1991. Fitzgerald carried three voting regions, an unprecedented achievement for a sophomore.

When he announced plans to enter the 2004 NFL Draft, 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.”

After he was drafted third overall by the Arizona Cardinals, he went on to a 17-year NFL career. He was voted to 11 Pro Bowls, a Cardinals record and the most by a former Pitt player.

Fitzgerald finished his NFL career second in receiving yards (17,492) and receptions (1,432) and was named to the NFL 100 All-Time Team, recognized as the best players of the league’s first 100 years. In 2016, he received the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, which honors a player’s commitment to philanthropy and community impact and playing ability.

Fitzgerald founded The Larry Fitzgerald Foundation in honor of his mother, Carol Fitzgerald, who died from breast cancer in 2003. His foundation aims to honor his mother’s legacy by supporting women and men affected by breast cancer in underserved communities.

The 2024 College Football Hall of Fame Class will be officially inducted during the 66th National Football Foundation Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 10 at Bellagio Resort & Casino. They also will be honored at their schools during the 2024 season.

Pitt’s other College Hall of Famers 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. “Jock” 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).