No one on this planet would argue against Larry Fitzgerald being a Hall of Famer in the future. Fitzgerald is second all-time — only to Jerry Rice — in receptions (1,432) and receiving yards (17,492). The 11-time Pro Bowler had a remarkable career with the Arizona Cardinals, but it appears that he is either headed to retirement or waiting for an opportunity to play for a new team in the 2021 NFL season.
If I had to bet, Fitzgerald is going to call it quits after spending 17 seasons with the Cardinals. There’s a chance that Fitzgerald heads somewhere that can give him a chance to win a Super Bowl, something that he came close to getting in 2008. While it seems more likely that he retires than plays for a new team, let’s take a look at a few teams that should attempt to sign the veteran wideout.
Minnesota Vikings
In the event that Larry Fitzgerald does want to return for his 18th season, maybe he’d be interested in playing close to where he’s from. Fitzgerald was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he attended the Academy of the Holy Angels in high school. The sure-handed wide receiver would then play for the Pittsburgh Panthers in college before becoming the No. 3 overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft.
Joining the Minnesota Vikings wouldn’t be a decision that would give him the best chance to win a Super Bowl. However, it would allow him to have a clear chance to start again as the Vikings don’t have a definitive No. 3 wide receiver behind Adam Thielen and Justin Jefferson. If Fitzgerald took the route of skipping training camp so he could play in 2021, I wouldn’t rule Minnesota out due to the possibility of him wanting to play close to home.
Kansas City Chiefs
Fitzgerald, who turns 38 years old at the end of August, may have one thing on his mind if he chooses not to retire; a Super Bowl ring. Back in the 2008 season, the Cardinals were able to advance to the Super Bowl with Kurt Warner under center. Arizona would proceed to lose to the Pittsburgh Steelers and Fitzgerald would never make it back to the Super Bowl with the Cardinals.
As retirement still seems like the most favorable outcome for Larry Fitzgerald, the Kansas City Chiefs could definitely give him an opportunity to compete for a Super Bowl. It’s no guarantee that the Chiefs make the Super Bowl in 2021, but they have made back-to-back Super Bowls, going 1-1 in those two games. With a receiving corps that features Tyreek Hill, Mecole Hardman, Byron Pringle, and Demarcus Robinson, Fitzgerald could operate as a rotational wideout in Kansas City.
After missing out on JuJu Smith-Schuster and T.Y. Hilton in NFL free agency, getting Fitzgerald wouldn’t be a terrible move for the reigning AFC champs.
Baltimore Ravens
Another team that could offer Fitzgerald a chance to potentially play in a Super Bowl is the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore has seemingly put together a roster that has what it takes to win it all, but they’ve fallen short in recent seasons. Over the course of the offseason, the Ravens added Sammy Watkins and rookie Rashod Bateman to their wide receiving corps in hopes it can help the development of Lamar Jackson.
Even though Baltimore remains a run-heavy team, all signs point to them wanting to throw the ball a little more in the 2021 NFL season. The Ravens have already endured an injury to Bateman, who is expected to miss the start of the season after undergoing surgery. Seeing that Marquise Brown, Watkins, and Miles Boykin are the potential starters, Baltimore could use a go-to wideout for Jackson.
Maybe Larry Fitzgerald ends up reuniting with his former teammate on the Cardinals in Calais Campbell, who is entering his second season with the Ravens.
