After just reading an article about OBJ and the observation that he likes to do X (drop between zones) while Mayfield does not have the timing or inclination to make those throws makes Fitzgerald even more impressive. I almost never think about the sync about quarterback and receiver and how could he must be to have played with all those different quarterbacks. Think Fitzgerald might be too low.
I tend to agree with you mate (on him being too low) I think when you factor in the parade of average that he spent his career having throw balls to him you have to think that 80 is about as low as he could be ranked
Fitzgerald is way underrated, by the public and even here. Anyone you put above him I would somewhat question, with the Jerry Rice exception.
It is not just the yards and catches with Larry, it is the intangibles. The blocking, the hands that don't drop balls, even the good off the field rep.
I am glad you mentioned some of the many subpar QBs he played most of his career with, and especially glad about the mention of the playoff run. In my mind it was the best post season performance ever by one player.
The first football game I ever saw was a 1960 Colts game against the Detroit Lions on tv. I knew nothing about NFL teams and players, but when the tv announcer introduced the Colts as 2 time defending champions before the game, they became MY team I was a rabid Colts fan for years, Johnny U, Lenny Moore, Gino Marchetti et al. And of course Raymond Berry. I really didn’t know that much about him, other than his precise routes and he and Johnny U basically inventing the “I’ll throw the ball “there” before you cut to it” and a Raymond would be there, right on time at the exact spot and catching it. Thanks for that story.
And how can anyone not root for Larry Fitzgerald- a classy guy on and off the field. If he’d had a good QB throwing to him for a good part of his career, his stats- and playoff games - would have even been so much better. I would have loved Manning going to the Cardinals instead of the Broncos. He and Larry would have put on quite a show.
Thanks for another great NFL 101 doubleheader Joe.
We're now 22 names into Joe's Football 101 and still only have six players who were also on The Athletic's NFL 100. Also, wide receivers are currently outpacing QBs 5-to-2. (I'm sure that latter QB number will increase a lot.) Raymond Berry barely ekes into the Super Bowl era, which defined all of the picks other than the incomparable Duke Slater way back in the '20s.
Joe, I have been a fan of my fellow Texan Raymond Berry since I watched him in that 1958 Colts-Giants overtime game. I was five year old then! My life goal was to be a pro football player all through elementary school. High school football disabused me of that notion.
I knew Berry was from Paris, Texas where he played for his dad. I was about to correct you on that Corpus Christi “hometown “ comment, but I looked it up and he was born in Corpus. So I guess we are both right. It just depends how you define hometown!
I love your work, and I especially love that you write with both “heart and soul.” Thank you again.
After just reading an article about OBJ and the observation that he likes to do X (drop between zones) while Mayfield does not have the timing or inclination to make those throws makes Fitzgerald even more impressive. I almost never think about the sync about quarterback and receiver and how could he must be to have played with all those different quarterbacks. Think Fitzgerald might be too low.
I tend to agree with you mate (on him being too low) I think when you factor in the parade of average that he spent his career having throw balls to him you have to think that 80 is about as low as he could be ranked
Fitzgerald is way underrated, by the public and even here. Anyone you put above him I would somewhat question, with the Jerry Rice exception.
It is not just the yards and catches with Larry, it is the intangibles. The blocking, the hands that don't drop balls, even the good off the field rep.
I am glad you mentioned some of the many subpar QBs he played most of his career with, and especially glad about the mention of the playoff run. In my mind it was the best post season performance ever by one player.
Larry Fitzgerald, one of the best football players ever to walk the earth, and possibly a better human than he was a football player.
Two of my favorite players of all time.
The first football game I ever saw was a 1960 Colts game against the Detroit Lions on tv. I knew nothing about NFL teams and players, but when the tv announcer introduced the Colts as 2 time defending champions before the game, they became MY team I was a rabid Colts fan for years, Johnny U, Lenny Moore, Gino Marchetti et al. And of course Raymond Berry. I really didn’t know that much about him, other than his precise routes and he and Johnny U basically inventing the “I’ll throw the ball “there” before you cut to it” and a Raymond would be there, right on time at the exact spot and catching it. Thanks for that story.
And how can anyone not root for Larry Fitzgerald- a classy guy on and off the field. If he’d had a good QB throwing to him for a good part of his career, his stats- and playoff games - would have even been so much better. I would have loved Manning going to the Cardinals instead of the Broncos. He and Larry would have put on quite a show.
Thanks for another great NFL 101 doubleheader Joe.
"but when the tv announcer introduced the Colts as 2 time defending champions before the game, they became MY team I was a rabid Colts fan for years"
Front-RUnner!!!! :p
If Fitzgerald invented 88, it was 88 more — after he already memorized Berry’s 88.
Larry Fitzgerald Sr. is an amazing guy, we are lucky to have him.
A great article once again!
We're now 22 names into Joe's Football 101 and still only have six players who were also on The Athletic's NFL 100. Also, wide receivers are currently outpacing QBs 5-to-2. (I'm sure that latter QB number will increase a lot.) Raymond Berry barely ekes into the Super Bowl era, which defined all of the picks other than the incomparable Duke Slater way back in the '20s.
For those keeping score, I'm still tracking Joe's picks at https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/19reESfIvV2ROI5rdehKSyU6j7ujt94xoHYUrPaJcDtw/edit?usp=sharing
I'm hoping for a LOT more pre-Super Bowl era players. I'm more interested in reading about them than players that I've actually seen play
Joe, I have been a fan of my fellow Texan Raymond Berry since I watched him in that 1958 Colts-Giants overtime game. I was five year old then! My life goal was to be a pro football player all through elementary school. High school football disabused me of that notion.
I knew Berry was from Paris, Texas where he played for his dad. I was about to correct you on that Corpus Christi “hometown “ comment, but I looked it up and he was born in Corpus. So I guess we are both right. It just depends how you define hometown!
I love your work, and I especially love that you write with both “heart and soul.” Thank you again.
Larry Fitzgerald is the perfect pairing too!
This is the good stuff I come here for - outstanding.