Larry Fitzgerald Sr., a longtime sports journalist and the father of former NFL receiver Larry Fitzgerald, passed away on Monday at the age of 71.
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The family announced the news on Monday but did not provide a cause of death. Fitzgerald passed away two months before his son's induction into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
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"A devoted father, husband, grandfather, and a true pioneer in the Minnesota broadcasting community, he spent his life pouring into the people and the city he loved so much," the statement posted by his son, Marcus, said. "He left us peacefully this afternoon, surrounded by his family and the people who loved him most."
A former college football player, Fitzgerald spent several decades covering sports in Minnesota. He covered dozens of Super Bowls during his career, as well as many other major events.
He became a prominent figure in the Twin Cities, but he later became a household name during the 2008-09 NFL season. The Cardinals, the team on which his son played, reached Super Bowl 43 where they would face the Steelers.
Fitzgerald covered the championship game in which his son posted seven receptions for 127 yards and two touchdowns. The Cardinals lost the game, but Fitzgerald became the first American sports journalist in NFL history to cover his child's performance in the Super Bowl.
The elder Fitzgerald also covered the game without breaking one of sports journalism's biggest rules — no cheering in the press box.
"My father was a man of strength, love, and encouragement," Larry Jr. wrote on X. "He opened countless doors for me and my brother. He believed in us and pushed us to pursue every opportunity with conviction, he was the rock of our family.
"He taught us that perseverance, hard work, and unwavering commitment are the foundations of a meaningful life and personal success. I will carry his love, words, and wisdom with me always."
