Larry Fitzgerald makes appearance to see Cardinals and Vikings practice
EAGAN, Minn. — It just made all the sense in the world that Arizona Cardinals legend Larry Fitzgerald attended Wednesday's Cardinals-Minnesota Vikings joint practice, despite the excessive heat and humidity.
Fitzgerald spent all 17 of his NFL seasons with the Cardinals, but he was born and raised in Minneapolis and was a ball boy for the Vikings. Watching the Cardinals' offense against the Vikings defense from the sideline, Fitzgerald, now retired, wore black and red and visited with friends from his time with the Cardinals.
"There's nothing in me that wants to be out there. But I can appreciate the quality and the skills that go into being out there. It's great," Fitzgerald said. "It's pretty funny, this is where I kind of cut my teeth, in like a training camp as a ball boy spotting the ball, doing that. And then, you know, obviously my love for the Cardinals is where it's at and where it's always going to be. So being out here and watching my two favorite teams do it is cool."
Fitzgerald reminisced about all of the stars he saw every day at Vikings camp, which when he was younger was held in nearby Eden Prairie, Minn. They included Hall of Famers Randy Moss, John Randle and Cris Carter.
Cardinals General Manager Monti Ossenfort was working for the Vikings at the same time Fitzgerald was there, and Fitzgerald also spoke with head coach Jonathan Gannon.
"Still super smart, intelligent, thoughtful. I think he's gonna do a great job of putting this team together," Fitzgerald said of Ossenfort, who was also at Wednesday's practice.
Fitzgerald returns as part of the ESPN Monday Night Countdown broadcast crew of analysts this season. He's looking forward to his second season.
"Monday Night Football is the greatest show. I mean, it's the only show on TV on that day," Fitzgerald said. "And you know, usually showcased with great talent and great players. And I love covering it. I love being a part of it."
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: What former Arizona Cardinals star attended the team's practice?
