Broncos receiver Demaryius Thomas, left, with Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald after a game last season. (John Leyba, The Denver Post)
He’s the Cardinals’ career leader in receptions (856, No. 22 all-time in NFL), receiving yards (11,474, No. 26), receiving touchdowns (87), total touchdowns (87) and 100-yard receiving games (36).
He was the first player in NFL history to record 90-plus receptions five times in his first seven seasons.
He’s one of just nine players in league history with at least 10 touchdowns in five different seasons.
And his career numbers already surpass those of many receivers in the Hall of Fame: 19 out of the 23 receivers in the Hall have fewer career receptions, and 14 have fewer receiving yards.
Larry Fitzgerald undoubtedly has a spot reserved for him in Canton.
As the Broncos prepare for the Cardinals and Fitzgerald on Sunday, two of Denver’s top receivers were asked where he ranks among the game’s all-time greats.
“I don’t rank receivers myself, because I feel like I’m one of the top,” Demaryius Thomas said. “But Larry’s a great receiver. I watched him coming up; he was one of my idols as a rookie. I used to watch his film. So I still think he’s great at what he does. I can’t rate anybody, but he’s good at what he does.”
Wes Welker, who entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2004 (the same year Fitzgerald was drafted as the third overall pick) and is on the verge of breaking the record for most receptions by an undrafted player, had this to say about the Cardinals’ star WR:
“I think his career speaks for itself. What he’s been able to do for the past 11 years or so, it’s pretty astounding. He’s definitely one of the top receivers to ever play the game.”
