Deadspin | Golf Glance: PGA Tour follows Masters with signature event; Champions major season begins April 20, 2025; Hilton Head, S.C.; Justin Thomas reacts to his winning putt at the RBC Heritage. Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images After all eyes were focused on the Masters last week the professional golf world returns to jam-packed action. That includes a signature event on the PGA Tour, the LPGA in Los Angeles, LIV Golf in Mexico and the first major of the year for the Champions Tour. PGA TOUR THIS WEEK: RBC Heritage, Hilton Head Island, S.C., April 16-19 Course: Harbour Town Golf Links (Par 71, 7,243 Yards) Purse: $20M (Winner: $3.6M) Defending Champion: Justin Thomas FedEx Cup Leader: Cameron Young HOW TO FOLLOW TV: Thursday-Friday: 2-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday: 1-3 p.m. (GC); 3-6 p.m. (CBS) Streaming (ESPN+): Thursday-Sunday: 7 a.m.-6 p.m. X: @RBC_Heritage NOTES: This is the fourth of eight signature events and includes 41 of the top 50 players in the Official World Golf Ranking. Fifty-three players competed in the Masters last week. … Due to the cancellation of the season-opening The Sentry, this week’s field was expanded to 82 players to include 10 players who won on the PGA Tour in 2025. … World No. 2 Rory McIlroy is not in the field following his win at the Masters. No. 4 Justin Rose, who tied for third at the Masters, withdrew from the event on Monday and was replaced by Michael Thorbjornsen. … This will be the first career signature event for nine players: Chandler Blanchet, Michael Brennan, Ricky Castillo, Steven Fisk, Johnny Keefer, David Lipsky, William Mouw, Jordan Smith and Sudarshan Yellamaraju. … Five players are in the field via the Aon Swing 5: Lipsky, Blanchet, Smith, Keefer and Matt Wallace. … Sponsors exemptions include Wyndham Clark, Tony Finau, Billy Horschel and Marco Penge. … Webb Simpson holds the tournament scoring record of 262 set in 2020. BEST BETS: Scottie Scheffler (+385 at DraftKings), the 2024 event champion, is coming off a T2 at the Masters and is in a field that is missing McIlroy and Rose. … Xander Schauffele (+1500) has three consecutive top-10 finishes, including a T9 at the Masters. … Matt Fitzpatrick (+1700), who won here in 2023, followed his runner-up at The Players and win at the Valspar with a T18 last week. … Cameron Young (+1750) finished T3 last week for his fourth consecutive top-10 finish, including a win at The Players. … Tommy Fleetwood (+1800) was in contention until settling for a T33 at the Masters following consecutive top-10s. … Ludvig Aberg (+2100) followed three consecutive top-5s with a T21 in Augusta. … Viktor Hovland (+3400) was the hottest player on the course at Augusta National last Sunday before a double bogey on No. 15. … Justin Thomas (+4100) is seeking to become the first player to successfully defend at the RBC Heritage since Boo Weekley in 2008. … Sepp Straka (+4500) said last week that all parts of his game felt solid, he just couldn’t get them all working together in finishing T41. Last Tournament: Masters Tournament (Rory McIlroy) Next Tournament: Zurich Classic of New Orleans, Louisiana, April 23-26 LPGA TOUR THIS WEEK: LA Championship, April 16-19 Course: El Caballero Country Club (Par 72, 6,765 Yards) Purse: $3.75M Defending Champion: Ingrid Lindblad Race to CME Globe Leader: Nelly Korda HOW TO FOLLOW: TV: Thursday-Sunday: 6-9 p.m. ET (Golf Channel) X: @jmeaglelachamp NOTES: This is the ninth edition of the event, which took on all records and past champions associated with the LA Open beginning in 2024. … World No. 3 Hyo Joo Kim is the highest-ranked player in the field, which does include 15 of the top 25 in the world. Kim already has two wins among three top-10s this season. … El Caballero played host to the LPGA Office Depot Championship from 2002-04. … Lizette Salas makes her return to competition following a 2024 back injury, while Alison Lee makes her return from maternity leave. … The field includes Asterisk Talley and Aphrodite Deng, the top two-ranked amateurs in the world. Last Tournament: Aramco Championship (Lauren Coughlin) Next Tournament: The Chevron Championship, Houston, April 23-26 PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS THIS WEEK: Senior PGA Championship, Bradenton, Fla., April 16-19 Course: The Concession Golf Club (Par 72, 6,936 Yards) Purse: $3M (Winner: $540,000) Defending Champion: Angel Cabrera Charles Schwab Cup leader: Stewart Cink HOW TO FOLLOW TV: Thursday-Friday: 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday: 3-6 p.m. (Golf Channel) X: @ChampionsTour NOTES: This is the first major of the year and the 86th edition of the event. … The 156-player field includes seven World Golf Hall of Fame Members. One of them is Vijay Singh, who missed the cut at the Masters last week. Last Tournament: Hoag Classic (Stewart Cink) Next Tournament: Mitsubishi Electric Classic, Duluth, Ga., April 24-26 LIV GOLF LEAGUE THIS WEEK: LIV Golf Mexico City, April 16-19 Course: Club de Golf Chapultepec (Par 72, 7,443 Yards) Purses: Individual: $30M (Winner: $4M); Team: $10M (Winners: $3M) Defending Champions: Individual: Joaquin Niemann; Team: Legion XIII 2026 Season Leaders: Individual: Jon Rahm; Team: Ripper GC HOW TO FOLLOW TV: Thursday: 3-6 p.m. ET (Fox Sports app), 6-8 p.m. (FS1); Friday: 2-5 p.m. (Fox), 5-7 p.m. (Fox Sports app); Saturday: 1:30-4 p.m. (Fox), 4-6:30 p.m. (FS1); Sunday: 2-7 p.m. (FS1). X: @livgolf_league NOTES: Only five of 10 LIV Golf players made the cut at the Masters. Tyrrell Hatton finished T3, but no other LIV player finished under par. … Bryson DeChambeau seeks his third consecutive LIV event win after missing the Masters cut. Carlos Ortiz, who also missed the cut, is one of two Mexican players on LIV Golf along with Abraham Ancer. … This is the sixth of 14 events this season. … The daily shotgun start includes 13 teams and 57 total players, including five wild cards. … At 7,350 feet, the Club de Golf Chapultepec is one of the highest-altitude courses in North America. … Phil Mickelson continues to be sidelined by an undisclosed personal medical matter. Last Event: LIV Golf South Africa (Individual: DeChambeau; Team: Crushers GC) Next Event: Trump National DC, May 7-10 DP WORLD TOUR THIS WEEK: OFF. Race to Dubai Leader: Patrick Reed Last Tournament: Hero Indian Open (Alex Fitzpatrick) Next Tournament: China Open, Shanghai, April 23-26 –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Golf #Glance #PGA #Tour #Masters #signature #event #Champions #major #season #begins

Deadspin | Golf Glance: PGA Tour follows Masters with signature event; Champions major season begins
April 20, 2025; Hilton Head, S.C.; Justin Thomas reacts to his winning putt at the RBC Heritage. Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

After all eyes were focused on the Masters last week the professional golf world returns to jam-packed action. That includes a signature event on the PGA Tour, the LPGA in Los Angeles, LIV Golf in Mexico and the first major of the year for the Champions Tour.

PGA TOUR

THIS WEEK: RBC Heritage, Hilton Head Island, S.C., April 16-19

Course: Harbour Town Golf Links (Par 71, 7,243 Yards)

Purse: $20M (Winner: $3.6M)

Defending Champion: Justin Thomas

FedEx Cup Leader: Cameron Young

HOW TO FOLLOW

TV: Thursday-Friday: 2-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday: 1-3 p.m. (GC); 3-6 p.m. (CBS)

Streaming (ESPN+): Thursday-Sunday: 7 a.m.-6 p.m.

X: @RBC_Heritage

NOTES: This is the fourth of eight signature events and includes 41 of the top 50 players in the Official World Golf Ranking. Fifty-three players competed in the Masters last week. … Due to the cancellation of the season-opening The Sentry, this week’s field was expanded to 82 players to include 10 players who won on the PGA Tour in 2025. … World No. 2 Rory McIlroy is not in the field following his win at the Masters. No. 4 Justin Rose, who tied for third at the Masters, withdrew from the event on Monday and was replaced by Michael Thorbjornsen. … This will be the first career signature event for nine players: Chandler Blanchet, Michael Brennan, Ricky Castillo, Steven Fisk, Johnny Keefer, David Lipsky, William Mouw, Jordan Smith and Sudarshan Yellamaraju. … Five players are in the field via the Aon Swing 5: Lipsky, Blanchet, Smith, Keefer and Matt Wallace. … Sponsors exemptions include Wyndham Clark, Tony Finau, Billy Horschel and Marco Penge. … Webb Simpson holds the tournament scoring record of 262 set in 2020.

BEST BETS: Scottie Scheffler (+385 at DraftKings), the 2024 event champion, is coming off a T2 at the Masters and is in a field that is missing McIlroy and Rose. … Xander Schauffele (+1500) has three consecutive top-10 finishes, including a T9 at the Masters. … Matt Fitzpatrick (+1700), who won here in 2023, followed his runner-up at The Players and win at the Valspar with a T18 last week. … Cameron Young (+1750) finished T3 last week for his fourth consecutive top-10 finish, including a win at The Players. … Tommy Fleetwood (+1800) was in contention until settling for a T33 at the Masters following consecutive top-10s. … Ludvig Aberg (+2100) followed three consecutive top-5s with a T21 in Augusta. … Viktor Hovland (+3400) was the hottest player on the course at Augusta National last Sunday before a double bogey on No. 15. … Justin Thomas (+4100) is seeking to become the first player to successfully defend at the RBC Heritage since Boo Weekley in 2008. … Sepp Straka (+4500) said last week that all parts of his game felt solid, he just couldn’t get them all working together in finishing T41.

Last Tournament: Masters Tournament (Rory McIlroy)

Next Tournament: Zurich Classic of New Orleans, Louisiana, April 23-26

LPGA TOUR

THIS WEEK: LA Championship, April 16-19

Course: El Caballero Country Club (Par 72, 6,765 Yards)

Purse: $3.75M

Defending Champion: Ingrid Lindblad

Race to CME Globe Leader: Nelly Korda

HOW TO FOLLOW:

TV: Thursday-Sunday: 6-9 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)

X: @jmeaglelachamp

NOTES: This is the ninth edition of the event, which took on all records and past champions associated with the LA Open beginning in 2024. … World No. 3 Hyo Joo Kim is the highest-ranked player in the field, which does include 15 of the top 25 in the world. Kim already has two wins among three top-10s this season. … El Caballero played host to the LPGA Office Depot Championship from 2002-04. … Lizette Salas makes her return to competition following a 2024 back injury, while Alison Lee makes her return from maternity leave. … The field includes Asterisk Talley and Aphrodite Deng, the top two-ranked amateurs in the world.

Last Tournament: Aramco Championship (Lauren Coughlin)

Next Tournament: The Chevron Championship, Houston, April 23-26

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS

THIS WEEK: Senior PGA Championship, Bradenton, Fla., April 16-19

Course: The Concession Golf Club (Par 72, 6,936 Yards)

Purse: $3M (Winner: $540,000)

Defending Champion: Angel Cabrera

Charles Schwab Cup leader: Stewart Cink

HOW TO FOLLOW

TV: Thursday-Friday: 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday: 3-6 p.m. (Golf Channel)

X: @ChampionsTour

NOTES: This is the first major of the year and the 86th edition of the event. … The 156-player field includes seven World Golf Hall of Fame Members. One of them is Vijay Singh, who missed the cut at the Masters last week.

Last Tournament: Hoag Classic (Stewart Cink)

Next Tournament: Mitsubishi Electric Classic, Duluth, Ga., April 24-26

LIV GOLF LEAGUE

THIS WEEK: LIV Golf Mexico City, April 16-19

Course: Club de Golf Chapultepec (Par 72, 7,443 Yards)

Purses: Individual: $30M (Winner: $4M); Team: $10M (Winners: $3M)

Defending Champions: Individual: Joaquin Niemann; Team: Legion XIII

2026 Season Leaders: Individual: Jon Rahm; Team: Ripper GC

HOW TO FOLLOW

TV: Thursday: 3-6 p.m. ET (Fox Sports app), 6-8 p.m. (FS1); Friday: 2-5 p.m. (Fox), 5-7 p.m. (Fox Sports app); Saturday: 1:30-4 p.m. (Fox), 4-6:30 p.m. (FS1); Sunday: 2-7 p.m. (FS1).

X: @livgolf_league

NOTES: Only five of 10 LIV Golf players made the cut at the Masters. Tyrrell Hatton finished T3, but no other LIV player finished under par. … Bryson DeChambeau seeks his third consecutive LIV event win after missing the Masters cut. Carlos Ortiz, who also missed the cut, is one of two Mexican players on LIV Golf along with Abraham Ancer. … This is the sixth of 14 events this season. … The daily shotgun start includes 13 teams and 57 total players, including five wild cards. … At 7,350 feet, the Club de Golf Chapultepec is one of the highest-altitude courses in North America. … Phil Mickelson continues to be sidelined by an undisclosed personal medical matter.

Last Event: LIV Golf South Africa (Individual: DeChambeau; Team: Crushers GC)

Next Event: Trump National DC, May 7-10

DP WORLD TOUR

THIS WEEK: OFF.

Race to Dubai Leader: Patrick Reed

Last Tournament: Hero Indian Open (Alex Fitzpatrick)

Next Tournament: China Open, Shanghai, April 23-26

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Golf #Glance #PGA #Tour #Masters #signature #event #Champions #major #season #begins

Sports news April 16, 2026

April 20, 2025; Hilton Head, S.C.; Justin Thomas reacts to his winning putt at the RBC Heritage. Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

After all eyes were focused on the Masters last week the professional golf world returns to jam-packed action. That includes a signature event on the PGA Tour, the LPGA in Los Angeles, LIV Golf in Mexico and the first major of the year for the Champions Tour.

PGA TOUR

THIS WEEK: RBC Heritage, Hilton Head Island, S.C., April 16-19

Course: Harbour Town Golf Links (Par 71, 7,243 Yards)

Purse: $20M (Winner: $3.6M)

Defending Champion: Justin Thomas

FedEx Cup Leader: Cameron Young

HOW TO FOLLOW

TV: Thursday-Friday: 2-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday: 1-3 p.m. (GC); 3-6 p.m. (CBS)

Streaming (ESPN+): Thursday-Sunday: 7 a.m.-6 p.m.

X: @RBC_Heritage

NOTES: This is the fourth of eight signature events and includes 41 of the top 50 players in the Official World Golf Ranking. Fifty-three players competed in the Masters last week. … Due to the cancellation of the season-opening The Sentry, this week’s field was expanded to 82 players to include 10 players who won on the PGA Tour in 2025. … World No. 2 Rory McIlroy is not in the field following his win at the Masters. No. 4 Justin Rose, who tied for third at the Masters, withdrew from the event on Monday and was replaced by Michael Thorbjornsen. … This will be the first career signature event for nine players: Chandler Blanchet, Michael Brennan, Ricky Castillo, Steven Fisk, Johnny Keefer, David Lipsky, William Mouw, Jordan Smith and Sudarshan Yellamaraju. … Five players are in the field via the Aon Swing 5: Lipsky, Blanchet, Smith, Keefer and Matt Wallace. … Sponsors exemptions include Wyndham Clark, Tony Finau, Billy Horschel and Marco Penge. … Webb Simpson holds the tournament scoring record of 262 set in 2020.

BEST BETS: Scottie Scheffler (+385 at DraftKings), the 2024 event champion, is coming off a T2 at the Masters and is in a field that is missing McIlroy and Rose. … Xander Schauffele (+1500) has three consecutive top-10 finishes, including a T9 at the Masters. … Matt Fitzpatrick (+1700), who won here in 2023, followed his runner-up at The Players and win at the Valspar with a T18 last week. … Cameron Young (+1750) finished T3 last week for his fourth consecutive top-10 finish, including a win at The Players. … Tommy Fleetwood (+1800) was in contention until settling for a T33 at the Masters following consecutive top-10s. … Ludvig Aberg (+2100) followed three consecutive top-5s with a T21 in Augusta. … Viktor Hovland (+3400) was the hottest player on the course at Augusta National last Sunday before a double bogey on No. 15. … Justin Thomas (+4100) is seeking to become the first player to successfully defend at the RBC Heritage since Boo Weekley in 2008. … Sepp Straka (+4500) said last week that all parts of his game felt solid, he just couldn’t get them all working together in finishing T41.

Last Tournament: Masters Tournament (Rory McIlroy)

Next Tournament: Zurich Classic of New Orleans, Louisiana, April 23-26

LPGA TOUR

THIS WEEK: LA Championship, April 16-19

Course: El Caballero Country Club (Par 72, 6,765 Yards)

Purse: $3.75M

Defending Champion: Ingrid Lindblad

Race to CME Globe Leader: Nelly Korda

HOW TO FOLLOW:

TV: Thursday-Sunday: 6-9 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)

X: @jmeaglelachamp

NOTES: This is the ninth edition of the event, which took on all records and past champions associated with the LA Open beginning in 2024. … World No. 3 Hyo Joo Kim is the highest-ranked player in the field, which does include 15 of the top 25 in the world. Kim already has two wins among three top-10s this season. … El Caballero played host to the LPGA Office Depot Championship from 2002-04. … Lizette Salas makes her return to competition following a 2024 back injury, while Alison Lee makes her return from maternity leave. … The field includes Asterisk Talley and Aphrodite Deng, the top two-ranked amateurs in the world.

Last Tournament: Aramco Championship (Lauren Coughlin)

Next Tournament: The Chevron Championship, Houston, April 23-26

PGA TOUR CHAMPIONS

THIS WEEK: Senior PGA Championship, Bradenton, Fla., April 16-19

Course: The Concession Golf Club (Par 72, 6,936 Yards)

Purse: $3M (Winner: $540,000)

Defending Champion: Angel Cabrera

Charles Schwab Cup leader: Stewart Cink

HOW TO FOLLOW

TV: Thursday-Friday: 10 a.m.-1 p.m.; Saturday-Sunday: 3-6 p.m. (Golf Channel)

X: @ChampionsTour

NOTES: This is the first major of the year and the 86th edition of the event. … The 156-player field includes seven World Golf Hall of Fame Members. One of them is Vijay Singh, who missed the cut at the Masters last week.

Last Tournament: Hoag Classic (Stewart Cink)

Next Tournament: Mitsubishi Electric Classic, Duluth, Ga., April 24-26

LIV GOLF LEAGUE

THIS WEEK: LIV Golf Mexico City, April 16-19

Course: Club de Golf Chapultepec (Par 72, 7,443 Yards)

Purses: Individual: $30M (Winner: $4M); Team: $10M (Winners: $3M)

Defending Champions: Individual: Joaquin Niemann; Team: Legion XIII

2026 Season Leaders: Individual: Jon Rahm; Team: Ripper GC

HOW TO FOLLOW

TV: Thursday: 3-6 p.m. ET (Fox Sports app), 6-8 p.m. (FS1); Friday: 2-5 p.m. (Fox), 5-7 p.m. (Fox Sports app); Saturday: 1:30-4 p.m. (Fox), 4-6:30 p.m. (FS1); Sunday: 2-7 p.m. (FS1).

X: @livgolf_league

NOTES: Only five of 10 LIV Golf players made the cut at the Masters. Tyrrell Hatton finished T3, but no other LIV player finished under par. … Bryson DeChambeau seeks his third consecutive LIV event win after missing the Masters cut. Carlos Ortiz, who also missed the cut, is one of two Mexican players on LIV Golf along with Abraham Ancer. … This is the sixth of 14 events this season. … The daily shotgun start includes 13 teams and 57 total players, including five wild cards. … At 7,350 feet, the Club de Golf Chapultepec is one of the highest-altitude courses in North America. … Phil Mickelson continues to be sidelined by an undisclosed personal medical matter.

Last Event: LIV Golf South Africa (Individual: DeChambeau; Team: Crushers GC)

Next Event: Trump National DC, May 7-10

DP WORLD TOUR

THIS WEEK: OFF.

Race to Dubai Leader: Patrick Reed

Last Tournament: Hero Indian Open (Alex Fitzpatrick)

Next Tournament: China Open, Shanghai, April 23-26

–Field Level Media

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#Deadspin #Golf #Glance #PGA #Tour #Masters #signature #event #Champions #major #season #begins

Lionel Messi sued — Why is the Argentina legend being taken to court? <div id="content-body-70867542" itemprop="articleBody">Lionel Messi is being sued by a Miami-based event promoter who says the FIFA World Cup winner violated terms of a USD 7 million contract by missing an exhibition match last year.Vid Music Group filed the lawsuit for fraud and breach of contract against Messi and the Argentine Football Association (AFA) in Miami-Dade circuit court last month, according to court records.Messi and the AFA didn’t immediately respond to messages seeking comment.Considered one of the greatest footballers of all time, Messi appears with both his Major League Soccer club Inter Miami and Argentina’s national team, and fans routinely pay much higher prices for the chance to see him play.According to the lawsuit, Vid signed a deal with the AFA last summer for exclusive rights to organise and promote Argentina’s friendlies last October against Venezuela and Puerto Rico in exchange for ticket, broadcast and sponsorship revenue.Vid claims that Messi was supposed to play for at least 30 minutes in each match, unless he was injured.The 38-year-old Messi watched Argentina’s 1-0 win against Venezuela on October 10 from a suite at South Florida’s Hard Rock Stadium, according to the lawsuit.The next day, Messi scored two goals in Inter Miami’s 4-0 MLS win over Atlanta. That match was important to Inter Miami, since it gave his side home-field advantage for Round 1 of the playoffs.Then, on October 14, Messi played in Argentina’s 6-0 win over Puerto Rico. That game was originally supposed to take place in Chicago, but low ticket sales in the city, where Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were making more than 1,000 arrests, led organisers to move the game to Florida.The AFA blamed the immigration crackdowns when the smaller venue in Fort Lauderdale didn’t sell out, even after ticket prices were reduced to USD 25 each.Vid hasn’t specified damages it is seeking in the lawsuit, but it claims it lost millions between Messi failing to appear in one game and low ticket sales at the other.Published on Apr 16, 2026</div> #Lionel #Messi #sued #Argentina #legend #court

#Deadspin #Larry #Fitzgerald #Arizona #gave #home">

mwasimuddin125 0

Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinee Larry Fitzgerald and his son Devin Fitzgerald unveil his bust during the Class of 2026 enshrinement ceremony at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 8, 2026.

One day after being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, longtime Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald paid for a full-page ad in the Arizona Republic to thank everyone who made a Minnesota native feel welcome in the state he calls home.

After being selected by the Cardinals with the third overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft, Fitzgerald spent all 17 years of his NFL career in Arizona. He caught 1,432 passes for 17,492 yards and 121 touchdowns while earning 11 trips to the Pro Bowl.

Fitzgerald ranks second to Jerry Rice on the NFL’s all-time lists for receptions and receiving yards. He stands sixth in touchdown catches, trailing Rice, Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Chris Carter and Marvin Harrison.

Here’s the message Fitzgerald penned for his Arizona Republic ad:

People have asked me countless times what it felt like to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The truth is, it was one of the greatest honors of my life.

But this really isn’t a Hall of Fame story.

It’s a thank-you letter.

I arrived in Arizona as a 20-year-old kid who didn’t know a single person. I had no idea this desert would become the place that would shape me into the man I am today.

The day I landed was the same day the nation learned Pat Tillman had lost his life. Pat is one of America’s great heroes.

I stepped off the plane into a state where its people were carrying real grief, and something inside me grew quiet. I started paying attention.

You learn quickly what loyalty looks like when it isn’t just a word.

For the next 17 seasons, I quietly measured myself against the standard Pat Tillman set. I’m still not sure I ever lived up to it.

Somewhere along the way, Arizona stopped being the place where I lived and became the place I was from.

It happened through a thousand ordinary moments until one day, I realized this was simply home. Not because I was a Hall of Famer. Not because I was a wide receiver. Just because the people of this state allowed me to be Larry.

You don’t fall in love with a place because of its stadiums. You fall in love on quiet mornings hiking Camelback Mountain.

On crisp fall afternoons walking a golf course. During summers in Flagstaff and standing among the red rocks of Sedona that remind you just how small you are in the best possible way.

When I stopped playing football, I walked away quietly. I’m known for my Irish goodbyes. Arizona even gave me that. Yet you kept showing up for me anyway, especially through the work of my foundation. Your support was never conditional. You never asked me to be anything other than myself, and somehow that was always enough.

Arizona gave a kid from Minneapolis something he didn’t even know he was searching for.

Belonging.

And that sense of belonging changed me.

After a while, you weren’t cheering for a wide receiver anymore, you were cheering for one of your own.

So this isn’t really a story about 17 years in a Cardinals uniform or a bronze bust in Canton.

It’s the story of a young man who was welcomed by a state that owed him nothing and gave him everything.

Thank you, Arizona.

Thank you for letting a kid from somewhere else become one of your own.

Thank you for embracing not just the player, but the man.

You gave me far more than a career. You gave me friendships that will last a lifetime. You gave me purpose beyond football.

You gave me a place where my children will always know they belong.

Most of all, you gave me a home.

With love and gratitude,

(signed)

Larry Fitzgerald

HOF 26

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Larry #Fitzgerald #Arizona #gave #home">Deadspin | Larry Fitzgerald thanks all of Arizona: ‘You gave me a home’

Pro Football Hall of Fame enshrinee Larry Fitzgerald and his son Devin Fitzgerald unveil his bust during the Class of 2026 enshrinement ceremony at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton, Ohio, on Aug. 8, 2026.

One day after being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, longtime Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald paid for a full-page ad in the Arizona Republic to thank everyone who made a Minnesota native feel welcome in the state he calls home.

After being selected by the Cardinals with the third overall pick in the 2004 NFL Draft, Fitzgerald spent all 17 years of his NFL career in Arizona. He caught 1,432 passes for 17,492 yards and 121 touchdowns while earning 11 trips to the Pro Bowl.

Fitzgerald ranks second to Jerry Rice on the NFL’s all-time lists for receptions and receiving yards. He stands sixth in touchdown catches, trailing Rice, Randy Moss, Terrell Owens, Chris Carter and Marvin Harrison.

Here’s the message Fitzgerald penned for his Arizona Republic ad:

People have asked me countless times what it felt like to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

The truth is, it was one of the greatest honors of my life.

But this really isn’t a Hall of Fame story.

It’s a thank-you letter.

I arrived in Arizona as a 20-year-old kid who didn’t know a single person. I had no idea this desert would become the place that would shape me into the man I am today.

The day I landed was the same day the nation learned Pat Tillman had lost his life. Pat is one of America’s great heroes.

I stepped off the plane into a state where its people were carrying real grief, and something inside me grew quiet. I started paying attention.

You learn quickly what loyalty looks like when it isn’t just a word.

For the next 17 seasons, I quietly measured myself against the standard Pat Tillman set. I’m still not sure I ever lived up to it.

Somewhere along the way, Arizona stopped being the place where I lived and became the place I was from.

It happened through a thousand ordinary moments until one day, I realized this was simply home. Not because I was a Hall of Famer. Not because I was a wide receiver. Just because the people of this state allowed me to be Larry.

You don’t fall in love with a place because of its stadiums. You fall in love on quiet mornings hiking Camelback Mountain.

On crisp fall afternoons walking a golf course. During summers in Flagstaff and standing among the red rocks of Sedona that remind you just how small you are in the best possible way.

When I stopped playing football, I walked away quietly. I’m known for my Irish goodbyes. Arizona even gave me that. Yet you kept showing up for me anyway, especially through the work of my foundation. Your support was never conditional. You never asked me to be anything other than myself, and somehow that was always enough.

Arizona gave a kid from Minneapolis something he didn’t even know he was searching for.

Belonging.

And that sense of belonging changed me.

After a while, you weren’t cheering for a wide receiver anymore, you were cheering for one of your own.

So this isn’t really a story about 17 years in a Cardinals uniform or a bronze bust in Canton.

It’s the story of a young man who was welcomed by a state that owed him nothing and gave him everything.

Thank you, Arizona.

Thank you for letting a kid from somewhere else become one of your own.

Thank you for embracing not just the player, but the man.

You gave me far more than a career. You gave me friendships that will last a lifetime. You gave me purpose beyond football.

You gave me a place where my children will always know they belong.

Most of all, you gave me a home.

With love and gratitude,

(signed)

Larry Fitzgerald

HOF 26

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Larry #Fitzgerald #Arizona #gave #home

When I arrived to cover the Minnesota Vikings for the St. Paul Pioneer Press in 2000, it was clear I was dealing with a star-studded roster.

The team boasted future Pro Football Hall of Famers; wide receivers Cris Carter and Randy Moss and defensive tackle John Randle. Plus, there were a ton of other stars including quarterback Daunte Culpepper, center Matt Birk and running back Robert Smith. The Vikings were loaded with star power.

The talent around the team wasn’t relegated simply to the roster, however.

That summer I first laid my eyes on a 16-year-old high school junior named Larry Fitzgerald Jr. The son of a local media member and close friend of Vikings’ head coach Dennis Green, Little Fitzy was a ball boy during training camp and on game days. It turns out, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. is very likely the most famous former NFL ball boy in history.

On reporting date, fellow reporter Kevin Seifert pointed out Fitzgerald to me and said “that’s a bad man.” Seifert didn’t say that about any of the actual Vikings that day.

Fitzgerald was already known as the best Minnesota high school prospect in years and he was considered one of the best high school players in the country. Seifert told me the buzz was that the kid was, no doubt, headed to the NFL in a half decade or so. Seifert was on the money. I’m not sure the Hall of Fame was mentioned or not.

But this weekend of course, that’s exactly where Little Fitzy is headed. He will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, on Saturday as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Fitzgerald will be remembered as one of the best and most productive wide receivers in league history after an incredible 17-season career with the Arizona Cardinals.

I have a ton of memories of being around Fitzgerald, but there’s one that stands out among them all.

One day after training camp, a nameless Vikings’ wide receiver camp body was getting extra work on a JUGS machine, catching balls. He was being tutored by Fitzgerald, who was showing this player how to properly approach the incoming ball. This was a child instructing a grown man an NFL team deemed good enough to attend training camp.

Larry Fitzgerald Jr. was special even back then.

In addition to his incredible natural football ability, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. stood out for his politeness and good nature. You could tell he was a good kid from the first time you met him.

There was no I’m-going-to-be-a-star attitude. He was genuine and he worked his tail off with the rest of the ball boys. There was no entitlement. It was as if he was using his time around an NFL camp as an internship for his future. He passed with flying colors.

I’ve always cherished following his career from his days at Pittsburgh in college to his days of dominating the NFL and I’ve enjoyed running into him over the years now and again.

Enjoy Canton, Little Fitzy, you’ve earned it.

#Larry #Fitzgeralds #Hall #Fame #induction #years #making">

Larry Fitzgerald’s Hall of Fame induction is 25 years in the making When I arrived to cover the Minnesota Vikings for the St. Paul Pioneer Press in 2000, it was clear I was dealing with a star-studded roster.The team boasted future Pro Football Hall of Famers; wide receivers Cris Carter and Randy Moss and defensive tackle John Randle. Plus, there were a ton of other stars including quarterback Daunte Culpepper, center Matt Birk and running back Robert Smith. The Vikings were loaded with star power.The talent around the team wasn’t relegated simply to the roster, however.That summer I first laid my eyes on a 16-year-old high school junior named Larry Fitzgerald Jr. The son of a local media member and close friend of Vikings’ head coach Dennis Green, Little Fitzy was a ball boy during training camp and on game days. It turns out, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. is very likely the most famous former NFL ball boy in history.On reporting date, fellow reporter Kevin Seifert pointed out Fitzgerald to me and said “that’s a bad man.” Seifert didn’t say that about any of the actual Vikings that day.Fitzgerald was already known as the best Minnesota high school prospect in years and he was considered one of the best high school players in the country. Seifert told me the buzz was that the kid was, no doubt, headed to the NFL in a half decade or so. Seifert was on the money. I’m not sure the Hall of Fame was mentioned or not.But this weekend of course, that’s exactly where Little Fitzy is headed. He will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, on Saturday as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.Fitzgerald will be remembered as one of the best and most productive wide receivers in league history after an incredible 17-season career with the Arizona Cardinals.I have a ton of memories of being around Fitzgerald, but there’s one that stands out among them all.One day after training camp, a nameless Vikings’ wide receiver camp body was getting extra work on a JUGS machine, catching balls. He was being tutored by Fitzgerald, who was showing this player how to properly approach the incoming ball. This was a child instructing a grown man an NFL team deemed good enough to attend training camp.Larry Fitzgerald Jr. was special even back then.In addition to his incredible natural football ability, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. stood out for his politeness and good nature. You could tell he was a good kid from the first time you met him.There was no I’m-going-to-be-a-star attitude. He was genuine and he worked his tail off with the rest of the ball boys. There was no entitlement. It was as if he was using his time around an NFL camp as an internship for his future. He passed with flying colors.I’ve always cherished following his career from his days at Pittsburgh in college to his days of dominating the NFL and I’ve enjoyed running into him over the years now and again.Enjoy Canton, Little Fitzy, you’ve earned it. #Larry #Fitzgeralds #Hall #Fame #induction #years #making

mwasimuddin125 0

When I arrived to cover the Minnesota Vikings for the St. Paul Pioneer Press in 2000, it was clear I was dealing with a star-studded roster.
The team boasted future Pro Football Hall of Famers; wide receivers Cris Carter and Randy Moss and defensive tackle John Randle. Plus, there were a ton of other stars including quarterback Daunte Culpepper, center Matt Birk and running back Robert Smith. The Vikings were loaded with star power.
The talent around the team wasn’t relegated simply to the roster, however.
That summer I first laid my eyes on a 16-year-old high school junior named Larry Fitzgerald Jr. The son of a local media member and close friend of Vikings’ head coach Dennis Green, Little Fitzy was a ball boy during training camp and on game days. It turns out, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. is very likely the most famous former NFL ball boy in history.
On reporting date, fellow reporter Kevin Seifert pointed out Fitzgerald to me and said “that’s a bad man.” Seifert didn’t say that about any of the actual Vikings that day.
Fitzgerald was already known as the best Minnesota high school prospect in years and he was considered one of the best high school players in the country. Seifert told me the buzz was that the kid was, no doubt, headed to the NFL in a half decade or so. Seifert was on the money. I’m not sure the Hall of Fame was mentioned or not.
But this weekend of course, that’s exactly where Little Fitzy is headed. He will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, on Saturday as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
Fitzgerald will be remembered as one of the best and most productive wide receivers in league history after an incredible 17-season career with the Arizona Cardinals.
I have a ton of memories of being around Fitzgerald, but there’s one that stands out among them all.
One day after training camp, a nameless Vikings’ wide receiver camp body was getting extra work on a JUGS machine, catching balls. He was being tutored by Fitzgerald, who was showing this player how to properly approach the incoming ball. This was a child instructing a grown man an NFL team deemed good enough to attend training camp.
Larry Fitzgerald Jr. was special even back then.
In addition to his incredible natural football ability, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. stood out for his politeness and good nature. You could tell he was a good kid from the first time you met him.
There was no I’m-going-to-be-a-star attitude. He was genuine and he worked his tail off with the rest of the ball boys. There was no entitlement. It was as if he was using his time around an NFL camp as an internship for his future. He passed with flying colors.
I’ve always cherished following his career from his days at Pittsburgh in college to his days of dominating the NFL and I’ve enjoyed running into him over the years now and again.
Enjoy Canton, Little Fitzy, you’ve earned it.

#Larry #Fitzgeralds #Hall #Fame #induction #years #making">Larry Fitzgerald’s Hall of Fame induction is 25 years in the making

When I arrived to cover the Minnesota Vikings for the St. Paul Pioneer Press in 2000, it was clear I was dealing with a star-studded roster.

The talent around the team wasn’t relegated simply to the roster, however.

On reporting date, fellow reporter Kevin Seifert pointed out Fitzgerald to me and said “that’s a bad man.” Seifert didn’t say that about any of the actual Vikings that day.

But this weekend of course, that’s exactly where Little Fitzy is headed. He will be enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio, on Saturday as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

Fitzgerald will be remembered as one of the best and most productive wide receivers in league history after an incredible 17-season career with the Arizona Cardinals.

I have a ton of memories of being around Fitzgerald, but there’s one that stands out among them all.

Larry Fitzgerald Jr. was special even back then.

In addition to his incredible natural football ability, Larry Fitzgerald Jr. stood out for his politeness and good nature. You could tell he was a good kid from the first time you met him.

I’ve always cherished following his career from his days at Pittsburgh in college to his days of dominating the NFL and I’ve enjoyed running into him over the years now and again.

Enjoy Canton, Little Fitzy, you’ve earned it.

#Larry #Fitzgeralds #Hall #Fame #induction #years #making

Follow Sportstar for extensive coverage of the tenth edition of the TNPL, from live scores and match reports to exclusive analysis and features.

TOSS

Tiruppur Tamizhans won the toss and chose to bowl first.

PLAYING XIs

Nellai Royal Kings: Athish SR(w), D Santhosh Kumar, Ajitesh Guruswamy, U Mukilesh, Rithik Easwaran, Sonu Yadav(c), Muhammed Adnan Khan, Ramalingam Rohit, Emmanuel Cherian, NS Harish, Rocky Bhasker

Tiruppur Tamizhans: Tushar Raheja(w), Amit Sathvik, Pradosh Ranjan Paul, Mohamed Ali, Uthirasamy Sasidev, Ravisrinivasan Sai Kishore(c), M Mathivannan, S Mohan Prasath, R Silambarasan, Esakkimuthu A, T Natarajan

Published on Aug 09, 2026

#TNPL #Live #Allround #batting #display #propels #Nellai #Royal #Kings">