Deadspin | Struggling Blue Jays look to salvage series finale vs. Rays Jul 18, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Shane Bieber (57) throws a pitch against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images The Tampa Bay Rays will go for a four-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays Thursday afternoon that also would give them a split on their eight-game road trip. The Rays, who opened the trip with four losses to the surging Boston Red Sox, won their third in a row against the Blue Jays with a 4-2 decision on Wednesday. The game turned on three unearned runs in the sixth inning started by center fielder Daulton Varsho’s error on a flyball by Yandy Diaz that bounced off the heel of his glove. The Rays are 8-1 this season against the Blue Jays, who fell 10 games below .500. Toronto sits last in the American Leagie East, 13 1/2 games behind the first-place Rays and 6 1/2 games out of a wild-card spot. The Blue Jays have made six errors in the series, but their lack of hitting continues to be a problem and falls far short of making up for the sloppy play in the field. The Blue Jays have scored 10 runs in going 1-5 in the first six contests of their seven-game homestand. “We talk about it every day,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “We talk about it a lot. We talked about it today, at length, with the guys. It’s tough. It’s tough because we’re better and they’re better than what’s going on right now on the field.” Left-hander Ian Seymour (6-2, 4.79 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Rays. He is 2-1 with a 5.02 ERA in six career appearances (two starts) against Toronto He has four relief appearances versus the Blue Jays this season with a 4.50 ERA. Toronto will turn to right-hander Shane Bieber (1-1, 5.70), who is 3-2 with a 3.27 ERA in seven career starts against the Rays. Victor Mesa Jr. had two RBI singles for the Rays on Wednesday and the speedy Chandler Simpson was again prominent going 1-for-2 with a single, a walk, a sacrifice fly and two stolen bases. Simpson was 4-for-5 with an RBI on Tuesday in Tampa Bay’s 12-2 win. “When Chandler’s going, the havoc he’s creating — he got two hits (Tuesday) night, traditional hits, and then two hits with a routine ground ball to short and a tweener — not many guys in baseball can get hits like that, but he can,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “We’ve watched it all season long. He creates, like, a panic on defensive players, and really good ones. … Chandler hits it on the ground, and everybody’s having to move a lot faster than what they usually do.” Players like Simpson provide some needed support to the lineup of Diaz, Jonathan Aranda and Junior Caminero. “It’s very key,” Simpson said. “The big three, as you’d call it, they’re amazing and they’ve been superheroes the whole time. So if 5-9 can just help out a little bit and get them up to the plate as much as possible, it would be good for us.” “I think that’s the biggest key of all,” Cash said. “Good offenses, they’re able to turn the lineup over.” The Blue Jays recalled outfielder Yohendrick Pinango from Triple-A Buffalo and put Jonatan Clase on the injured list with left plantar fasciitis. Pinango started in left field Wednesday and was 1-for-2 before being replaced for a pinch hitter. They also recalled right-hander CJ Van Eyk from Buffalo and optioned Lazaro Estrada to Triple-A. –Field Level Media #Deadspin #Struggling #Blue #Jays #salvage #series #finale #Rays

Deadspin | Struggling Blue Jays look to salvage series finale vs. Rays
Jul 18, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Shane Bieber (57) throws a pitch against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Rays will go for a four-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays Thursday afternoon that also would give them a split on their eight-game road trip.

The Rays, who opened the trip with four losses to the surging Boston Red Sox, won their third in a row against the Blue Jays with a 4-2 decision on Wednesday.

The game turned on three unearned runs in the sixth inning started by center fielder Daulton Varsho’s error on a flyball by Yandy Diaz that bounced off the heel of his glove.

The Rays are 8-1 this season against the Blue Jays, who fell 10 games below .500. Toronto sits last in the American Leagie East, 13 1/2 games behind the first-place Rays and 6 1/2 games out of a wild-card spot.

The Blue Jays have made six errors in the series, but their lack of hitting continues to be a problem and falls far short of making up for the sloppy play in the field. The Blue Jays have scored 10 runs in going 1-5 in the first six contests of their seven-game homestand.

“We talk about it every day,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “We talk about it a lot. We talked about it today, at length, with the guys. It’s tough. It’s tough because we’re better and they’re better than what’s going on right now on the field.”

Left-hander Ian Seymour (6-2, 4.79 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Rays. He is 2-1 with a 5.02 ERA in six career appearances (two starts) against Toronto He has four relief appearances versus the Blue Jays this season with a 4.50 ERA.

Toronto will turn to right-hander Shane Bieber (1-1, 5.70), who is 3-2 with a 3.27 ERA in seven career starts against the Rays.

Victor Mesa Jr. had two RBI singles for the Rays on Wednesday and the speedy Chandler Simpson was again prominent going 1-for-2 with a single, a walk, a sacrifice fly and two stolen bases.

Simpson was 4-for-5 with an RBI on Tuesday in Tampa Bay’s 12-2 win.

“When Chandler’s going, the havoc he’s creating — he got two hits (Tuesday) night, traditional hits, and then two hits with a routine ground ball to short and a tweener — not many guys in baseball can get hits like that, but he can,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “We’ve watched it all season long. He creates, like, a panic on defensive players, and really good ones. … Chandler hits it on the ground, and everybody’s having to move a lot faster than what they usually do.”

Players like Simpson provide some needed support to the lineup of Diaz, Jonathan Aranda and Junior Caminero.

“It’s very key,” Simpson said. “The big three, as you’d call it, they’re amazing and they’ve been superheroes the whole time. So if 5-9 can just help out a little bit and get them up to the plate as much as possible, it would be good for us.”

“I think that’s the biggest key of all,” Cash said. “Good offenses, they’re able to turn the lineup over.”

The Blue Jays recalled outfielder Yohendrick Pinango from Triple-A Buffalo and put Jonatan Clase on the injured list with left plantar fasciitis. Pinango started in left field Wednesday and was 1-for-2 before being replaced for a pinch hitter.

They also recalled right-hander CJ Van Eyk from Buffalo and optioned Lazaro Estrada to Triple-A.

–Field Level Media

#Deadspin #Struggling #Blue #Jays #salvage #series #finale #Rays

Sports news July 23, 2026

Jul 18, 2026; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Shane Bieber (57) throws a pitch against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

The Tampa Bay Rays will go for a four-game sweep of the Toronto Blue Jays Thursday afternoon that also would give them a split on their eight-game road trip.

The Rays, who opened the trip with four losses to the surging Boston Red Sox, won their third in a row against the Blue Jays with a 4-2 decision on Wednesday.

The game turned on three unearned runs in the sixth inning started by center fielder Daulton Varsho’s error on a flyball by Yandy Diaz that bounced off the heel of his glove.

The Rays are 8-1 this season against the Blue Jays, who fell 10 games below .500. Toronto sits last in the American Leagie East, 13 1/2 games behind the first-place Rays and 6 1/2 games out of a wild-card spot.

The Blue Jays have made six errors in the series, but their lack of hitting continues to be a problem and falls far short of making up for the sloppy play in the field. The Blue Jays have scored 10 runs in going 1-5 in the first six contests of their seven-game homestand.

“We talk about it every day,” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “We talk about it a lot. We talked about it today, at length, with the guys. It’s tough. It’s tough because we’re better and they’re better than what’s going on right now on the field.”

Left-hander Ian Seymour (6-2, 4.79 ERA) is scheduled to start for the Rays. He is 2-1 with a 5.02 ERA in six career appearances (two starts) against Toronto He has four relief appearances versus the Blue Jays this season with a 4.50 ERA.

Toronto will turn to right-hander Shane Bieber (1-1, 5.70), who is 3-2 with a 3.27 ERA in seven career starts against the Rays.

Victor Mesa Jr. had two RBI singles for the Rays on Wednesday and the speedy Chandler Simpson was again prominent going 1-for-2 with a single, a walk, a sacrifice fly and two stolen bases.

Simpson was 4-for-5 with an RBI on Tuesday in Tampa Bay’s 12-2 win.

“When Chandler’s going, the havoc he’s creating — he got two hits (Tuesday) night, traditional hits, and then two hits with a routine ground ball to short and a tweener — not many guys in baseball can get hits like that, but he can,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said. “We’ve watched it all season long. He creates, like, a panic on defensive players, and really good ones. … Chandler hits it on the ground, and everybody’s having to move a lot faster than what they usually do.”

Players like Simpson provide some needed support to the lineup of Diaz, Jonathan Aranda and Junior Caminero.

“It’s very key,” Simpson said. “The big three, as you’d call it, they’re amazing and they’ve been superheroes the whole time. So if 5-9 can just help out a little bit and get them up to the plate as much as possible, it would be good for us.”

“I think that’s the biggest key of all,” Cash said. “Good offenses, they’re able to turn the lineup over.”

The Blue Jays recalled outfielder Yohendrick Pinango from Triple-A Buffalo and put Jonatan Clase on the injured list with left plantar fasciitis. Pinango started in left field Wednesday and was 1-for-2 before being replaced for a pinch hitter.

They also recalled right-hander CJ Van Eyk from Buffalo and optioned Lazaro Estrada to Triple-A.

–Field Level Media

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#Deadspin #Struggling #Blue #Jays #salvage #series #finale #Rays

यूनिफॉर्म सिविल कोड के जरिए हिंदू, मुस्लिम और सभी धर्मों के लोगों पर एक जैसे कानून लागू होंगे, शादी, तलाक और विरासत से जुड़े मामले इसमें शामिलः सीएम यादव

#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">