FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) -Larry Fitzgerald is a reluctant rock star in Flagstaff.
Packs of young fans, most wearing his No. 11 jersey, chant “Larry, Larry” as he coasts by on his electric Segway two-wheeler like some Roman gladiator in a chariot.
The All-Pro receiver would rather just do his job and walk away, but he stops to sign autographs. He is adjusting to the adoration that that comes with his status as one of the biggest of the rising young stars in the NFL.
“I talked to Michael Jordan one time,” Fitzgerald said. “I said, ‘Mike how do you deal with all of this?’ He said ‘If you don’t want it, stop catching passes,’ and I’m not going to do that, so it kind of comes with the territory.”
Just 20 when he was drafted out of Pittsburgh in 2004, Fitzgerald had his work ethic questioned in his early days as a pro. He has acknowledged relying heavily on his natural talent to get by.
Not so these days. He is a tireless worker, emphasizing the details of the wide receiver position to spectacular results.
n I came in I was 20 years old,” Fitzgerald said. “I don’t think you really have the understanding of what it really takes. I think you have an idea of what you may need to do, but until you get there and see some of the greats in the past, what they had to do to make yourself great, I realized that as the years continued that you have to step it up. And I’m going to continue raising that bar.”
He said he was shaken by what he considered an “average” rookie season.
“Anybody who knows me knows the biggest thing that scares me is failure,” Fitzgerald said. “That’s my motivating factor. Not being the best is not acceptable in my eyes.”
There was no one better in last year’s playoffs, where his performance was unrivaled in NFL history.
Fitzgerald shattered Jerry Rice’s 20-year-old record for yards receiving in the postseason with 546, to Rice’s 409. His seven TD receptions, two in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl, broke Rice’s record of six. His 30 receptions broke the record of 27 shared by Wes Walker and Steve Smith. His four consecutive 100-yards receiving games bettered the record of three shared by Rice, Tom Fears and Randy Moss.
Then, Fitzgerald wrapped up his season by being the MVP of the Pro Bowl.
His supreme talent was no longer lost in the desert wasteland that was the Cardinals for so long. Now everyone knows just how good he is.
one of the best at your position,” he said. “It puts a bigger bulls eye on my back, but I encourage it, look forward to it, and I’m always up for a challenge.”
Fitzgerald always takes a world trip in the offseason, this time to the Middle East. When he returned, he staged a camp in his native Minnesota, with Rice among those helping him out.
“He gave me a lot of different drills he was able to do throughout his career,” Fitzgerald said of Rice. “Footwork drills especially, getting in and out of your breaks. I think that’s my biggest weakness.”
Fitzgerald was most impressed by Rice’s hard work and attitude.
“I picked his brain all week,” Fitzgerald said. “Every night we sat around and talked. The thing I was so impressed about about him was even at 47 years old, his mentality. He did every single drill we did. He didn’t miss a rep or anything. … He, in his mind, still believes he can go out here and play.”
As resistant as Fitzgerald is to the spotlight, he has emerged within the team as a leader. During the offseason, he took top draft pick Beanie Wells under his wing. Wells wasn’t allowed under NFL rules to participate in voluntary workouts, but he stayed at Fitzgerald’s house during that time “so I wouldn’t be too far behind,” Wells said.
an clearly see it, and it’s getting to another Super Bowl and winning the Super Bowl. Guys like that don’t come around very often. The way he works and the way he teaches the young guys below him is incredible.”
Fitzgerald, a Pro Bowl selection in three of his five NFL seasons, has exchanged text messages challenging and supporting his teammates.
“We just talk about pushing each other and just having great expectations for each other,” defensive tackle Darnell Dockett said. “We’ve got a competition going, for every play he makes, I’ve got to make a big play.”
Fitzgerald said he’s been on the receiving end of encouragement and wants to return the favor.
“Sometimes you’ve got to just let your teammates know how important they are,” he said. “Guys last year were coming up and telling me that, and it meant a lot for me to hear that. Anything you can do to motivate a guy and help him achieve his goals is what being a team is all about.”
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