SCOTTSDALE — Celebrating early can get you into some serious trouble. Arizona Cardinals fans got a reminder of that this past season.
That thinking even goes for Arizona Cardinals legend Larry Fitzgerald. While he has more than enough merit and a resume made for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he’s not getting ahead of himself with a potential first-ballot induction on the table.
After all, there’s plenty of time to celebrate when you’re retired.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame’s class of 2026 will be announced on Thursday night.
Will Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald be enshrined in his first year of eligibility?
Fitzgerald and other Cardinals give their thoughts from the WM Phoenix Open Annexus Pro-Am: pic.twitter.com/Z2KdZ7bcRf
— Arizona Sports (@AZSports) February 4, 2026
“You can’t count your chickens before they hatch, you know? Hopefully one day,” Fitzgerald told Arizona Sports during the Annexus Pro-Am at the WM Phoenix Open on Wednesday.
“You have to do something right to even be able to get into the top 15 (HOF finalists),” the former wide receiver added. “Every single man from player to contributor all deserve to be in and will eventually at some point most likely get in. Even to be in there and have your name in that conversation is a blessing.”
Luckily for Fitzgerald, the waiting game could come to an end as early as Thursday night when the Hall of Fame class of 2026 is officially announced at the NFL Honors.
But regardless of how the voting turns out — we have already seen a pair of surprising leaks recently — there’s no question where Fitzgerald stands in Zaven Collins’ eyes.
“If I got to vote, he’s first ballot every day of the week. He’s an unreal dude, unreal athlete, a great person of society around here,” Collins told Arizona Sports. “I really appreciate what he’s done for us. He’s still involved with the Cardinals a lot. It’s really nice.”
It’s hard to imagine a world where Fitzgerald doesn’t get into the HOF on the first go-around. After all, he trails only HOFer Jerry Rice for the NFL record for catches (1,432) and receiving yards (17,492).
Rice might hold the top spot in the record books for catches and receiving yards. What he doesn’t have on Fitzgerald, though, is that he didn’t do it in one spot.
That hasn’t been lost on longtime Cardinals safety and former teammate Budda Baker.
“A guy who stayed in Arizona, did his best and created a lot of records there. It would be awesome to see him in the Hall of Fame,” Baker told Arizona Sports.
He also reeled in 121 touchdowns, was an 11-time Pro Bowler, an All-Pro and a Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year across 17 seasons with the Cardinals.
His 30 catches for 546 yards and seven scores in Arizona’s Super Bowl run in 2008 were video game-esque.
“Larry’s obviously a stud player, a guy who’s paved the way for all of us Cardinals,” tight end Trey McBride told Arizona Sports. “I just think it would mean the world to him and would mean the world to the organization. He has a really good chance at making it and I’m really pulling for him.”
