Cardinals to Retire Larry Fitzgerald’s No. 11, Induct Him Into Ring of Honor
Larry Fitzgerald spent 17 seasons building a case for permanence in Arizona, and the Cardinals just made it literal. Two days after Fitzgerald’s enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the franchise announced it will retire his No. 11 and induct him into the team’s Ring of Honor, according to ESPN.
The dual ceremony happens at halftime of Arizona’s Week 7 home game against the Denver Broncos on Oct. 25 at State Farm Stadium. NFL insider Ari Meirov shared the announcement on X Monday, writing that Fitzgerald’s number “will be retired and never worn by another player in franchise history.”
Confirmed: Sixth Number, 20th Ring of Honor Member
Cardinals owner Michael Bidwill confirmed the honor in a team statement carried by NFL.com.
“No one who has ever worn a Cardinals uniform is more deserving of this honor. His excellence on the field was only surpassed by the way he represented our team and our community off of it.”
— Michael Bidwill, Cardinals owner
Fitzgerald becomes the sixth player in franchise history to have his number retired, joining Larry Wilson (8), Pat Tillman (40), Stan Mauldin (77), J.V. Cain (88) and Marshall Goldberg (99), per Yahoo Sports. He’ll also be the 20th member of the team’s Ring of Honor.
No Cardinal has worn No. 11 since Fitzgerald walked away following the 2020 season, so the retirement mostly formalizes what fans already treated as fact.
A Career Spent Entirely in the Desert
Fitzgerald never left. Drafted third overall out of Pittsburgh in 2004, he played all 263 of his NFL games with Arizona — a rarity for a player of his caliber in an era defined by player movement.
He finished as the franchise’s all-time leader in games played, receptions, receiving yards and touchdowns. His 1,432 career catches and 17,492 receiving yards both rank second in NFL history, and his 11 Pro Bowl selections speak to a level of consistency few receivers have matched.
The numbers get louder in the playoffs. Fitzgerald caught 30 passes for 546 yards and seven touchdowns across four postseason games during Arizona’s run to Super Bowl XLIII, according to the team’s own report. His 64-yard touchdown catch against Pittsburgh in that Super Bowl nearly delivered Arizona its first championship.
- 1,432 career receptions (2nd all-time)
- 17,492 receiving yards (2nd all-time)
- 121 receiving touchdowns (6th all-time)
- 11 Pro Bowl selections across 17 seasons
Fitzgerald’s Own Words
Fitzgerald addressed his relationship with Arizona directly during his Hall of Fame induction speech, reflecting on arriving as a 20-year-old with no connections in the state, according to ClutchPoints.
“I arrived in Arizona as a 20-year-old kid who didn’t know a single person. I had no idea this desert would become the place that would shape me into the man I am today. Your support was never conditional. You never asked me to be anything other than myself, and somehow that was always enough.”
— Larry Fitzgerald, Hall of Fame induction speech
That loyalty runs both directions now. Arizona opens its home slate in Week 2 against Seattle before circling back to the Fitzgerald ceremony in Week 7, giving the franchise a marquee moment built around the player most responsible for its modern identity.
