Larry Fitzgerald once wore a gold helmet, but now he’s getting a gold jacket.
The former record-setting receiver at Pitt will be enshrined this summer in the Pro Football Hall of Fame following a legendary 17-year NFL career that left no doubt he’d someday reach Canton.
Ultimately, he got there in his first year of eligibility.
Fitzgerald joined quarterback Drew Brees, running back Roger Craig, linebacker Luke Kuechly and kicker Adam Vinatieri in the 2026 class announced Thursday night during the NFL Honors awards show in San Francisco. Fitzgerald, who ranks second in NFL history in receptions and receiving yards, will be the 11th Pitt player inducted into the hall.
The ceremony is Aug. 8.
“One of the coolest moments was getting up on that stage with all the other Hall of Famers,” Fitzgerald said. “That moment kind of crystallized it for me.”
Fitzgerald, 42, spent his entire career with the Arizona Cardinals after being drafted third overall in 2004. His 1,432 catches and 17,492 yards receiving in 17 seasons rank second all time to Jerry Rice.
Fitzgerald topped 1,000 yards receiving nine times — tied for the fourth-most ever — and helped the Cardinals reach their only Super Bowl following the 2008 season. Fitzgerald set single-season records that postseason with 546 yards receiving and seven TD catches, including a go-ahead 64-yard score with 2:37 to play in the Super Bowl before the Steelers rallied for a 27-23 win.
“Larry Fitzgerald is one of the best players the game has ever seen, on and off the field,” Pitt coach Pat Narduzzi said in a statement. “He’s been an incredible ambassador for our program and university for decades, always being proud to say he went to Pitt every step of the way. Being selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame is a tremendous honor, and we couldn’t be happier for Larry and his family.”
At Pitt, Fitzgerald set a team record with 34 receiving touchdowns despite playing only 26 games over two seasons (2002-03). He made 161 catches for 2,677 yards in his Panthers career, winning the 2003 Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top receiver and finishing as the Heisman Trophy runner-up that year.
More accolades awaited him in the NFL.
“Larry Fitzgerald didn’t just play the game, he honored it,” fellow Pitt legend Darrelle Revis said. “With unmatched hands, relentless preparation, and humility, he defined excellence for an era. His legacy isn’t measured only in catches and yards, but in respect earned from teammates, opponents, and the game itself. That is the mark of a Hall of Famer. From one Pitt Man to another, welcome to Canton.”
Fitzgerald was voted to the Pro Bowl 11 times. He earned a spot on the NFL’s all-decade team for the 2010s and was named the Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2016.
Among colleges, only Notre Dame and USC with 14 each have more former players inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame than Pitt. Already enshrined are Revis, Jimbo Covert, Mike Ditka, Chris Doleman, Tony Dorsett, Russ Grimm, Rickey Jackson, Dan Marino, Curtis Martin and Joe Schmidt.
The Associated Press contributed.