Larry Fitzgerald Reminisces on Pitt, Looks To Future

Fitzgerald hasn't played football since 2020 and is on his fifth season of retirement from the sport that he excelled in for almost two decades.

He has kept himself busy post-football, serving on the boards of Dick's Sporting Goods, Boys and Girls Club of America and Infinite Athlete and Qualtrics, co-owns Rajasthan Royal cricket team.

Fitzgerald is spending more time with his family and even when he struggles finding that right balance between work and family, he has enjoyed life after football.

“Great, great, Everything is going, I wouldn’t say exactly according to plan, but it’s going well," Fitzgerald said. "Football was a great time of my life. I look back on it fondly. Great memories, wonderful relationships developed, but it’s just a few chapters of your life in the grand scheme of things and so, I always wanted to go out quietly. The game is bigger than one individual person and that’s kind of the approach I’ve always taken.”

Fitzgerald visits Pittsburgh often, as his board position with Dick's Sporting Goods requires him to come out to Coraopolis, Pa., a suburb of Pittsburgh about 20 miles west of Pitt's campus in Oakland, about five times a year.

He also came back for a game last season, as the program honored Fitzgerald for his induction into the College Football Hall of Fame and

"It’s always great to come back," Fitzgerald said. "As soon I drive through the Fort Pitt Tunnel, it brings back some many great memories as I look over the landscape and think about the night stand over at the Renaissance Hotel and obviously, Heinz Field.

"Look in the distance and I can see the Cathedral of Learning. Look down the river and I can see the Hot Metal Bridge and all these memories just kind of flood back to your mind about experiences that you had, relationships that you had throughout your time. So I’m here quite a bit and I hope to continue to come back.”

Fitzgerald excelled during his time at Pitt, making 161 catches for 2,677 yards and 34 touchdowns in two seasons, 2002-03.

He had one of the best seasons ever for the Panthers in 2003, where he worked with Pittsburgh native and quarterback Rod Rutherford to make 92 catches for 1,672 yards and 22 touchdowns. The receiving yards and receiving touchdowns both rank as the most for a Panther in a single season, while his 92 receptions rank third most.

Fitzgerald earned a number of honors and won numerous awards for his performance that season, including First Team All-Big East, Big East Offensive Player of the Year, unanimous All-American, and both the Walter Camp and Biletnikoff Awards, identifying him as one of the best players in the country and the top wide receiver in the FBS, respectively.

He also, controversially, finished second in Heisman voting, that would've given him the award for player of the year in College Football.

Fitzgerald remembers most the players he had around him, especially the older ones, who helped make him into the great player and person he was following his Pitt career

“I think they definitely helped me formed my identity and who I was and the kind of person I wanted to be and aspired to be," Fitzgerald said. "I had great examples, guys like Chris Wilson, Lousaka Polite, Penny Samaia, Yogi Roth. So many guys who were great veteran leaders for me. So all I had to do was look up to them and follow their lead and that was great. I learned a lot from those players, I learned a lot from the administration, I got a chance to have lunch yesterday with Chancellor Nordenberg and Donna Sanft and a lot of people who poured into me in my maturation process.

"So, I for sure wouldn’t be standing here with you if I went to any other school. The way I was cared for, the way I was loved on, the way I was supported was really unique."

Pitt head coach Pat Narduzzi is heading into his 11th season in charge of the program and while Fitzgerald never played for him, he fully supports Narduzzi and the culture he's built during his tenure.

Fitzgerald also met with some of the graduating Pitt football players, including redshirt seniors in offensive lineman Lyndon Cooper, wide receiver Raphael "Poppi" Williams Jr. and defensive back Javon McIntyre, plus redshirt junior defensive lineman Sean FitzSimmons.

“I love Duzz," Fitzgerald said. " We talk at least once a month. I really appreciate the direction he’s taken the program and just a really tough group of guys. They compete, they fight. He stands for the right things. I’m always pulling for him and try to be a resource in any way possible. 

"I got a chance to spend some time with five young men on the football team that are graduating today. So obviously, they’re being ACC football players, but they’re graduating, which means the world to me as an alum.”

Fitzgerald also brought his son, Devin Fitzgerald, with him to the graduation ceremony,

Devin Fitzgerald is a four-star wide receiver in the Class of 2026 and holds an offer from Pitt football, amongst many other top schools.

Fitzgerald is proud of his son's accomplishments so far in his young life and that he can't wait to see what he achieves in his life, including graduating from college in the near future.

“It’s every parent’s dream to see your children fulfill their potential,' Fitzgerald said. "I’m proud of him for everything he’s accomplished. He’s only 17 years old, but everything I’ve asked of him, everything his mother’s asked of him, he’s done to the best of his ability.

“Is he where he wants to be? Is he where needs to be? No, but none of us are and the thing I’m most proud about is that he’s still open and willing to listen to people’s advice and to put himself in uncomfortable positions and that’s something I’m really proud about. So when that day comes, I’m going to be elated to watch him walk across that stage."