Ranking the top 25 wide receivers in NFL history…
Drafted third overall by the Arizona Cardinals in the 2004 NFL Draft out of the University of Pittsburgh, Fitzgerald quickly became one of the league’s most reliable wide receivers, spending his entire 17-year career with the Cardinals.
From 2004 to 2020, Fitzgerald amassed franchise records in receptions (1,432), receiving yards (17,492) and touchdowns (121), becoming the second all-time leader in receptions and receiving yards behind Jerry Rice.
His standout seasons included 2005, when he led the NFL with 103 catches for 1,409 yards and 10 touchdowns, and 2008, where he hauled in 96 receptions for 1,431 yards and a league-high 12 touchdowns, earning first-team All-Pro honors. That year, he propelled the Cardinals to [Super Bowl XLIII](https://www.nfl.com/photos/super-bowl-xliii-09000d5d80e81fc6#1213b440-9858-4f20-a5f7-b28ee8e60a4c), setting single-postseason records with 30 receptions, 546 yards and seven touchdowns.
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Fitzgerald earned 11 Pro Bowl selections and was named to the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team and NFL 100th Anniversary All-Time Team. He also won the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award in 2016 for his on- and off-field contributions.
Fitzgerald’s career totals rank him second in NFL history in receptions and receiving yards (behind Rice), and sixth in receiving touchdowns. He holds records for the most seasons with 90+ receptions (eight) and was the youngest player to reach 1,000 career receptions at age 32.
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Fitzgerald’s standout attributes include his exceptional hands—earning nicknames like “Sticky Fingers”—and his large frame (6-foot-3, 218 pounds), which allowed him to excel in contested catches and red-zone situations. He possessed remarkable consistency, rarely dropping passes and maintaining elite production into his late 30s.
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Fitzgerald was a consummate professional as a wide receiver: a precise route-runner, a clutch performer in high-pressure moments and a selfless blocker who elevated his quarterbacks and teammates.
Though he never won a Super Bowl, Fitzgerald is a lock for the Hall of Fame.
Featured image via Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports