If you went out searching for someone who dislikes Larry Fitzgerald, you’d be looking for a while. He was dominant on the football field during his 17-year run with the Arizona Cardinals from 2004 to 2020. An 11-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro, he’s a shoo-in to be a first-ballot Hall of Famer when he becomes eligible next year.
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Larry finished his career ranked second all-time in receptions and receiving yards, behind only Jerry Rice. He also sits sixth all-time in receiving touchdowns. All those accolades were great, but it was his strong character off the field that made him so beloved across the league.
Fitzgerald was known as a stand-up guy and one of the nicest people in the game. That was made all the more impressive by the fact that he played wide receiver, a position known for producing diva personalities. But that was never Fitzgerald. Instead, he always focused on improving himself both on and off the field. A perfect example of this was when he took an internship at the financial giant, JP Morgan Chase.
Back in 2011, coming off his fourth straight Pro Bowl and 1,000-yard season in his seventh year in the league, Fitzgerald decided to diversify himself by taking the internship. Most athletes at that age would assume they were set for life, but not Fitzgerald. He wanted to prepare for life after football, knowing how volatile a career in the sport could be.
“I understood that my career as an athlete would end one day, and that I needed to prepare myself for life after ball. It’s always been important to me to stay versatile and dynamic by continuously learning new skill sets,” he wrote, posting a picture of himself in front of JP Morgan Chase’s headquarters.
“Putting all your eggs in one basket can put us at risk if or when a given skill is no longer viable or in demand.”
Fitzgerald was always known as a smart football player, but he took it to a whole new level with that internship. Not only was he giving himself another avenue for his post-football life, but he was also learning crucial lessons in financial literacy that professional athletes often miss out on.
He finished the IG post with a call to action for college students looking to intern like him to recognize their own abilities and “stay open” to various avenues.
“I’m grateful for this early opportunity to learn about business and finance… Best of luck to all the college students who are looking to land summer internships. Know the unique value you bring and stay open to a variety of opportunities!”
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He never actually ended up becoming a bigwig on Wall Street, but Fitzgerald was able to internalize what he learned to ensure his NFL millions never run out. And, in true Larry Fitzgerald fashion, he has also used those millions to help others on a regular basis.
He founded the “Larry Fitzgerald First Down Fund” to provide children and their families with positive programming. Fitzgerald is able to push several initiatives through this fund. One example is the annual summer youth football camps he holds in both Arizona as well as his home state of Minnesota.
