Cardinals Pay Tribute to Larry Fitzgerald Before Hall of Fame Game

The Arizona Cardinals tip their cap to Larry Fitzgerald before beginning preseason action.

Arizona Cardinals head coach Mike LaFleur speaks to the press during training camp at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on July 26, 2026. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

ARIZONA — The Arizona Cardinals are paying a small tribute to Larry Fitzgerald as warm-ups for the NFL's Hall of Fame Game are underway.

According to team reporter Zach Gershman, the Cardinals are donning special Fitzgerald shirts before their battle against the Carolina Panthers.

AZCardinals.com's Darren Urban posted a photo of the shirts from the press box:

A handful of #AZCardinals, in their Fitz shirts, head over for a quick @ProFootballHOF visit.#CARvsAZ pic.twitter.com/v1xBADqgv8

— Darren Urban (@Cardschatter) August 6, 2026

Fitzgerald is set to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Saturday alongside Drew Brees, Luke Kuechly, Adam Vinatieri, and Roger Craig. The ceremony is slated to start at 9 AM Arizona time.

Fitzgerald, a local hero after spending all 17 seasons of his NFL career with Arizona, says his loyalty was somewhat tested, though leaving never appeared to cross his mind.

"I would be lying to you if it didn't cross my mind, I didn't think about it, maybe even had conversations about it, but never seriously tried to put it in motion," Fitzgerald said (h/t ESPN).

"I loved where I was at. And quite frankly, I don't know if it would've meant the same for me if I went to somewhere where it was already some super team."

Fitzgerald, one of the greatest receivers to ever play the game, currently holds numerous NFL records and was, more importantly, a pillar for the Cardinals on and off the field.

“I’m really proud of the work I did in the community, the organizations we partnered with. I’m proud of the relationships I’ve developed with my teammates, coaching staff, administration, media,” Fitzgerald said (h/t Arizona Sports).

“Those things are what I really think about. Not often do I think about the catches and the touchdowns. I think about the authenticity of the relationships I was able to develop.”

Fitzgerald has always been among the more humble-sided athletes. Nothing about his celebrations or play style was flashy or attention-seeking. In an age where players constantly want all eyes and cameras on them, Fitzgerald served as a role model for fans and teammates alike.

When Fitzgerald faded away into the depths of retirement (even though he said he despises the word), fans never got to officially say goodbye to one of the ultimate faces of the Cardinals' franchise.

Perhaps that's what makes this weekend so special, not in terms of officially closing a chapter that's been done for awhile, but rather getting to finally celebrate a career that was always going to be gold-jacket worthy.