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Silence falls on Red Miners as Jamshedpur FC pulls the plug on its ISL journey There is a particular silence that falls over a club when it shuts down. Not the managers’ howling instructions or even the players weeping into their kits. It’s the quiet folding of spreadsheets, a refusal to pay a participation fee and a conglomerate deciding that Rs. 55 lakh is too much for the privileged for pretending to care.And just like that, Jamshedpur FC, the steel city’s improbable footnote to the Indian Super League (ISL), wrapped up its senior team operations before the 2026-27 season, folded like a shirt no longer needed into the cupboard of Tata’s sprawling empire.That is the reality of corporate football: when the romance wanes, assets become foldable liabilities.This was a club that was competing for the title until the final matchday last season, which had an actual stadium that it owned, and prided of a genuine, effective pipeline for talent. When the footballing world was busy balancing books during the pandemic, the club actually made profits (Rs. 2 Cr.) in the 2019-20 season, and yet on July 31, 2026, it decided that the league, and its senior first team, was not worth the candle anymore.“It took a lot of the members of the club aback, and it was informed in a grim breath in the evening. Naturally, most of the contingent was visibly shocked, rather disappointed,” a source told Sportstar. Jamshedpur FC had an actual stadium that it owned, and prided of a genuine, effective pipeline for talent. | Photo Credit: ISL Media Jamshedpur FC had an actual stadium that it owned, and prided of a genuine, effective pipeline for talent. | Photo Credit: ISL Media The Tata Group has not provided an explanation for the decision. But it comes against the backdrop of the prolonged decline of Indian football in the last few years, which has had a domino effect on the men’s topflight. The men’s team’s FIFA rankings have plummeted, the league’s commercial value shrank by 97 per cent last season, and four ISL clubs have either shut down or shifted base. ISL Clubs which have shut down or have been rebranded: Pune City FC Atletico de Kolkata Delhi Dynamos Hyderabad FC Jamshedpur FC Reliance, the initial commercial partner, is gone. The City Football Group abandoned Mumbai City’s ship last season, and now Tata, gently, has shown itself out.In the last two years, the Tata-owned club lost about Rs. 11 Crore, while its Central Rights income collapsed from Rs. 21.24 crore to Rs. 32 Lakhs – a fall of nearly 99 per cent. As a result, its deficit in football operations tripled, from Rs. 1 Crore in the 2024-25 season to Rs. 2.8 Crore in the 2025-26 season.Capital fuels growth, and that in turn drives football, and that goes on in cycles.The most promising trend for Jamshedpur FC, in the last two years, was grassroots development, player transfers and training compensation (providing facilities for player training). And the conglomerate, as they usually do, got its blue-eyed boy here – the kids.“JFSPL (Jamshedpur Football and Sporting Private Limited) remains committed, in other capacities, to the continued growth and development of football in India. We will continue in our endeavour to promote and develop the game of football, including at the grassroots level,” the club said in its statement.The decision also pushed players into choppy waters. Players, some of whom were chiselled at the storied Tata Football Academy (TFA), will now be expected to run from pillar to post late in the summer window for a new team when most teams already have their squads chalked out.But the real victims of the decision will not be the professionals. Footballers are mercenaries by profession: they will find another jersey to don, another bench to warm.The tragedy will lie with the fans – people who built a community organically, named it the Red Miners, and rallied behind the team no matter how it played. The roar at the JRD Stadium when a TFA product scored meant something, everything, and that is what will no longer be heard.The ones who gave free treats when Jamshedpur won, to the ones who quietly bought season tickets, the silence will now haunt them, leaving them wondering if this was just part of an elaborate, expensive dream. The tragedy will lie with the fans – people who built a community organically, named it the Red Miners, and rallied behind the team no matter how it played. | Photo Credit: ISL Media The tragedy will lie with the fans – people who built a community organically, named it the Red Miners, and rallied behind the team no matter how it played. | Photo Credit: ISL Media The Tata group showed that Jamshedpur FC, in the ISL, had always been a product rather than a community club, and when a product wears out, it is sold in parts, just like its ball bearings and wires.And dreamers? Well, they get a press release.Published on Aug 01, 2026 #Silence #falls #Red #Miners #Jamshedpur #pulls #plug #ISL #journey

Silence falls on Red Miners as Jamshedpur FC pulls the plug on its ISL journey

There is a particular silence that falls over a club when it shuts down. Not the managers’ howling instructions or even the players weeping into their kits. It’s the quiet folding of spreadsheets, a refusal to pay a participation fee and a conglomerate deciding that Rs. 55 lakh is too much for the privileged for pretending to care.

And just like that, Jamshedpur FC, the steel city’s improbable footnote to the Indian Super League (ISL), wrapped up its senior team operations before the 2026-27 season, folded like a shirt no longer needed into the cupboard of Tata’s sprawling empire.

That is the reality of corporate football: when the romance wanes, assets become foldable liabilities.

This was a club that was competing for the title until the final matchday last season, which had an actual stadium that it owned, and prided of a genuine, effective pipeline for talent. When the footballing world was busy balancing books during the pandemic, the club actually made profits (Rs. 2 Cr.) in the 2019-20 season, and yet on July 31, 2026, it decided that the league, and its senior first team, was not worth the candle anymore.

“It took a lot of the members of the club aback, and it was informed in a grim breath in the evening. Naturally, most of the contingent was visibly shocked, rather disappointed,” a source told Sportstar.

Silence falls on Red Miners as Jamshedpur FC pulls the plug on its ISL journey There is a particular silence that falls over a club when it shuts down. Not the managers’ howling instructions or even the players weeping into their kits. It’s the quiet folding of spreadsheets, a refusal to pay a participation fee and a conglomerate deciding that Rs. 55 lakh is too much for the privileged for pretending to care.And just like that, Jamshedpur FC, the steel city’s improbable footnote to the Indian Super League (ISL), wrapped up its senior team operations before the 2026-27 season, folded like a shirt no longer needed into the cupboard of Tata’s sprawling empire.That is the reality of corporate football: when the romance wanes, assets become foldable liabilities.This was a club that was competing for the title until the final matchday last season, which had an actual stadium that it owned, and prided of a genuine, effective pipeline for talent. When the footballing world was busy balancing books during the pandemic, the club actually made profits (Rs. 2 Cr.) in the 2019-20 season, and yet on July 31, 2026, it decided that the league, and its senior first team, was not worth the candle anymore.“It took a lot of the members of the club aback, and it was informed in a grim breath in the evening. Naturally, most of the contingent was visibly shocked, rather disappointed,” a source told Sportstar. Jamshedpur FC had an actual stadium that it owned, and prided of a genuine, effective pipeline for talent. | Photo Credit: ISL Media Jamshedpur FC had an actual stadium that it owned, and prided of a genuine, effective pipeline for talent. | Photo Credit: ISL Media The Tata Group has not provided an explanation for the decision. But it comes against the backdrop of the prolonged decline of Indian football in the last few years, which has had a domino effect on the men’s topflight. The men’s team’s FIFA rankings have plummeted, the league’s commercial value shrank by 97 per cent last season, and four ISL clubs have either shut down or shifted base. ISL Clubs which have shut down or have been rebranded: Pune City FC Atletico de Kolkata Delhi Dynamos Hyderabad FC Jamshedpur FC Reliance, the initial commercial partner, is gone. The City Football Group abandoned Mumbai City’s ship last season, and now Tata, gently, has shown itself out.In the last two years, the Tata-owned club lost about Rs. 11 Crore, while its Central Rights income collapsed from Rs. 21.24 crore to Rs. 32 Lakhs – a fall of nearly 99 per cent. As a result, its deficit in football operations tripled, from Rs. 1 Crore in the 2024-25 season to Rs. 2.8 Crore in the 2025-26 season.Capital fuels growth, and that in turn drives football, and that goes on in cycles.The most promising trend for Jamshedpur FC, in the last two years, was grassroots development, player transfers and training compensation (providing facilities for player training). And the conglomerate, as they usually do, got its blue-eyed boy here – the kids.“JFSPL (Jamshedpur Football and Sporting Private Limited) remains committed, in other capacities, to the continued growth and development of football in India. We will continue in our endeavour to promote and develop the game of football, including at the grassroots level,” the club said in its statement.The decision also pushed players into choppy waters. Players, some of whom were chiselled at the storied Tata Football Academy (TFA), will now be expected to run from pillar to post late in the summer window for a new team when most teams already have their squads chalked out.But the real victims of the decision will not be the professionals. Footballers are mercenaries by profession: they will find another jersey to don, another bench to warm.The tragedy will lie with the fans – people who built a community organically, named it the Red Miners, and rallied behind the team no matter how it played. The roar at the JRD Stadium when a TFA product scored meant something, everything, and that is what will no longer be heard.The ones who gave free treats when Jamshedpur won, to the ones who quietly bought season tickets, the silence will now haunt them, leaving them wondering if this was just part of an elaborate, expensive dream. The tragedy will lie with the fans – people who built a community organically, named it the Red Miners, and rallied behind the team no matter how it played. | Photo Credit: ISL Media The tragedy will lie with the fans – people who built a community organically, named it the Red Miners, and rallied behind the team no matter how it played. | Photo Credit: ISL Media The Tata group showed that Jamshedpur FC, in the ISL, had always been a product rather than a community club, and when a product wears out, it is sold in parts, just like its ball bearings and wires.And dreamers? Well, they get a press release.Published on Aug 01, 2026 #Silence #falls #Red #Miners #Jamshedpur #pulls #plug #ISL #journey

Jamshedpur FC had an actual stadium that it owned, and prided of a genuine, effective pipeline for talent. | Photo Credit: ISL Media

lightbox-info

Jamshedpur FC had an actual stadium that it owned, and prided of a genuine, effective pipeline for talent. | Photo Credit: ISL Media

The Tata Group has not provided an explanation for the decision. But it comes against the backdrop of the prolonged decline of Indian football in the last few years, which has had a domino effect on the men’s topflight. The men’s team’s FIFA rankings have plummeted, the league’s commercial value shrank by 97 per cent last season, and four ISL clubs have either shut down or shifted base.

ISL Clubs which have shut down or have been rebranded:

Pune City FC

Atletico de Kolkata

Delhi Dynamos

Hyderabad FC

Jamshedpur FC

Reliance, the initial commercial partner, is gone. The City Football Group abandoned Mumbai City’s ship last season, and now Tata, gently, has shown itself out.

In the last two years, the Tata-owned club lost about Rs. 11 Crore, while its Central Rights income collapsed from Rs. 21.24 crore to Rs. 32 Lakhs – a fall of nearly 99 per cent. As a result, its deficit in football operations tripled, from Rs. 1 Crore in the 2024-25 season to Rs. 2.8 Crore in the 2025-26 season.

Capital fuels growth, and that in turn drives football, and that goes on in cycles.

The most promising trend for Jamshedpur FC, in the last two years, was grassroots development, player transfers and training compensation (providing facilities for player training). And the conglomerate, as they usually do, got its blue-eyed boy here – the kids.

“JFSPL (Jamshedpur Football and Sporting Private Limited) remains committed, in other capacities, to the continued growth and development of football in India. We will continue in our endeavour to promote and develop the game of football, including at the grassroots level,” the club said in its statement.

The decision also pushed players into choppy waters. Players, some of whom were chiselled at the storied Tata Football Academy (TFA), will now be expected to run from pillar to post late in the summer window for a new team when most teams already have their squads chalked out.

But the real victims of the decision will not be the professionals. Footballers are mercenaries by profession: they will find another jersey to don, another bench to warm.

The tragedy will lie with the fans – people who built a community organically, named it the Red Miners, and rallied behind the team no matter how it played. The roar at the JRD Stadium when a TFA product scored meant something, everything, and that is what will no longer be heard.

The ones who gave free treats when Jamshedpur won, to the ones who quietly bought season tickets, the silence will now haunt them, leaving them wondering if this was just part of an elaborate, expensive dream.

The tragedy will lie with the fans – people who built a community organically, named it the Red Miners, and rallied behind the team no matter how it played.

The tragedy will lie with the fans – people who built a community organically, named it the Red Miners, and rallied behind the team no matter how it played. | Photo Credit: ISL Media

lightbox-info

The tragedy will lie with the fans – people who built a community organically, named it the Red Miners, and rallied behind the team no matter how it played. | Photo Credit: ISL Media

The Tata group showed that Jamshedpur FC, in the ISL, had always been a product rather than a community club, and when a product wears out, it is sold in parts, just like its ball bearings and wires.

And dreamers? Well, they get a press release.

Published on Aug 01, 2026

#Silence #falls #Red #Miners #Jamshedpur #pulls #plug #ISL #journey

Sports news , , , ,

There is a particular silence that falls over a club when it shuts down. Not the managers’ howling instructions or even the players weeping into their kits. It’s the quiet folding of spreadsheets, a refusal to pay a participation fee and a conglomerate deciding that Rs. 55 lakh is too much for the privileged for pretending to care.

And just like that, Jamshedpur FC, the steel city’s improbable footnote to the Indian Super League (ISL), wrapped up its senior team operations before the 2026-27 season, folded like a shirt no longer needed into the cupboard of Tata’s sprawling empire.

That is the reality of corporate football: when the romance wanes, assets become foldable liabilities.

This was a club that was competing for the title until the final matchday last season, which had an actual stadium that it owned, and prided of a genuine, effective pipeline for talent. When the footballing world was busy balancing books during the pandemic, the club actually made profits (Rs. 2 Cr.) in the 2019-20 season, and yet on July 31, 2026, it decided that the league, and its senior first team, was not worth the candle anymore.

“It took a lot of the members of the club aback, and it was informed in a grim breath in the evening. Naturally, most of the contingent was visibly shocked, rather disappointed,” a source told Sportstar.

Jamshedpur FC had an actual stadium that it owned, and prided of a genuine, effective pipeline for talent.
| Photo Credit:
ISL Media

lightbox-info

Jamshedpur FC had an actual stadium that it owned, and prided of a genuine, effective pipeline for talent.
| Photo Credit:
ISL Media

The Tata Group has not provided an explanation for the decision. But it comes against the backdrop of the prolonged decline of Indian football in the last few years, which has had a domino effect on the men’s topflight. The men’s team’s FIFA rankings have plummeted, the league’s commercial value shrank by 97 per cent last season, and four ISL clubs have either shut down or shifted base.

ISL Clubs which have shut down or have been rebranded:

Pune City FC

Atletico de Kolkata

Delhi Dynamos

Hyderabad FC

Jamshedpur FC

Reliance, the initial commercial partner, is gone. The City Football Group abandoned Mumbai City’s ship last season, and now Tata, gently, has shown itself out.

In the last two years, the Tata-owned club lost about Rs. 11 Crore, while its Central Rights income collapsed from Rs. 21.24 crore to Rs. 32 Lakhs – a fall of nearly 99 per cent. As a result, its deficit in football operations tripled, from Rs. 1 Crore in the 2024-25 season to Rs. 2.8 Crore in the 2025-26 season.

Capital fuels growth, and that in turn drives football, and that goes on in cycles.

The most promising trend for Jamshedpur FC, in the last two years, was grassroots development, player transfers and training compensation (providing facilities for player training). And the conglomerate, as they usually do, got its blue-eyed boy here – the kids.

“JFSPL (Jamshedpur Football and Sporting Private Limited) remains committed, in other capacities, to the continued growth and development of football in India. We will continue in our endeavour to promote and develop the game of football, including at the grassroots level,” the club said in its statement.

The decision also pushed players into choppy waters. Players, some of whom were chiselled at the storied Tata Football Academy (TFA), will now be expected to run from pillar to post late in the summer window for a new team when most teams already have their squads chalked out.

But the real victims of the decision will not be the professionals. Footballers are mercenaries by profession: they will find another jersey to don, another bench to warm.

The tragedy will lie with the fans – people who built a community organically, named it the Red Miners, and rallied behind the team no matter how it played. The roar at the JRD Stadium when a TFA product scored meant something, everything, and that is what will no longer be heard.

The ones who gave free treats when Jamshedpur won, to the ones who quietly bought season tickets, the silence will now haunt them, leaving them wondering if this was just part of an elaborate, expensive dream.

The tragedy will lie with the fans – people who built a community organically, named it the Red Miners, and rallied behind the team no matter how it played.

The tragedy will lie with the fans – people who built a community organically, named it the Red Miners, and rallied behind the team no matter how it played.
| Photo Credit:
ISL Media

lightbox-info

The tragedy will lie with the fans – people who built a community organically, named it the Red Miners, and rallied behind the team no matter how it played.
| Photo Credit:
ISL Media

The Tata group showed that Jamshedpur FC, in the ISL, had always been a product rather than a community club, and when a product wears out, it is sold in parts, just like its ball bearings and wires.

And dreamers? Well, they get a press release.

Published on Aug 01, 2026

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SCOOP: Shah Rukh Khan fetches Rs 50 crore for King music; One of the biggest deals of recent time<div itemprop="articleBody"> <span itemprop="image" itemscope="" itemtype="https://schema.org/ImageObject" class=" hide"><meta itemprop="url" content="https://stat4.bollywoodhungama.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/SCOOP-Shah-Rukh-Khan-fetches-Rs-50-crore-for-King-music-One-of-the-biggest-deals-of-recent-time.jpg"/><meta itemprop="width" content="620"/><meta itemprop="height" content="450"/> </span> <p>Shah Rukh Khan is among the biggest superstars of Indian Cinema, whose starpower travels across the globe. After a spectacular theatrical run in 2023 with two blockbusters – <em>Pathaan</em> and <em>Jawan</em>, he returns on the big screen this Christmas with the Siddharth Anand directed <em>King</em>.</p><p><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-2149943" src="https://media5.bollywoodhungama.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/SCOOP-Shah-Rukh-Khan-fetches-Rs-50-crore-for-King-music-One-of-the-biggest-deals-of-recent-time.jpg" alt="" width="620" height="450"/><img class="lazyload aligncenter size-full wp-image-2149943" src="https://media5.bollywoodhungama.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/SCOOP-Shah-Rukh-Khan-fetches-Rs-50-crore-for-King-music-One-of-the-biggest-deals-of-recent-time.jpg" alt="" width="620" height="450"/></p><span class="img-dscp">SCOOP: Shah Rukh Khan fetches Rs 50 crore for King music; One of the biggest deals of recent time</span><input type="hidden" id="imagnary-id" value="2149942"/><span id="imagnary-data" class="loading"/><p>While the hype is at an all time high,<strong> Bollywood Hungama</strong> has exclusively learnt that the superstar is negotiating a record deal for the music rights of <em>King</em>. “With Sachin – Jigar on board, <em>King</em> music is among the hottest properties of the year. Sony, Sare Gama and T Series are making big bids to fetch the music. Leading the race is one of the above with an offer of around Rs 50 crore,” a source told <strong>Bollywood Hungama</strong>.</p><p>This would mark the third biggest music deal of modern times after <em>Ramayana</em> and <em>Dhurandhar 2</em>. “<em>King</em> is setting records in non-theatrical business. It is on the verge of sealing one of the biggest deals ever for an original music album in Hindi. One must note that Ramayana is Rs 75 crore for both parts together, and <em>King</em> is on the verge of closing with Rs 50 crore with a single film,” the source told us further.</p><p>Directed by Siddharth Anand, <em>King</em> is all set to hit the big screen during the Christmas 2026 weekend. The shoot is almost wrapped up, with just 15 days pending. The post production and edit work is going on in full swing too.</p><p><strong>Also Read: </strong><a href="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/bollywood/shah-rukh-khans-king-enters-final-phase-of-shoot-last-international-schedule-planned-for-august-report/" target="_blank" rel="bookmark noopener"><strong>Shah Rukh Khan’s King enters final phase of shoot; last international schedule planned for August: Report</strong></a></p><h4> More Pages: <a class="yoast-link-suggestion__value" href="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie/king/box-office/" title="King Box Office Collection" alt="King Box Office Collection">King Box Office Collection</a></h4><br/><h2 alt="Bollywood News - Live Updates" title="Bollywood News - Live Updates" style="font-size: 0.9rem;">BOLLYWOOD NEWS – LIVE UPDATES</h2><p>Catch us for latest <a href="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/bollywood/" style="color:#000;font-weight: bold;" alt="Bollywood News" title="Bollywood News">Bollywood News</a>, <a href="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movies/" style="color:#000;font-weight: bold;" alt="New Bollywood Movies" title="New Bollywood Movies">New Bollywood Movies</a> update, <a href="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/box-office-collections/" style="color:#000;font-weight: bold;" alt="Box office collection" title="Box office collection">Box office collection</a>, <a href="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movies/" style="color:#000;font-weight: bold;" alt="New Movies Release" title="New Movies Release">New Movies Release </a>, <a href="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/hindi/" style="color:#000;font-weight: bold;" alt="Bollywood News Hindi" title="Bollywood News Hindi">Bollywood News Hindi</a>, <a href="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/" style="color:#000;font-weight: bold;" alt="Entertainment News" title="Entertainment News">Entertainment News</a>, <a href="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/" style="color:#000;font-weight: bold;" alt="Bollywood Live News Today" title="Bollywood Live News Today">Bollywood Live News Today</a> & <a href="https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/movie-release-dates/" style="color:#000;font-weight: bold;" alt="Upcoming Movies 2026" title="Upcoming Movies 2026">Upcoming Movies 2026</a> and stay updated with latest hindi movies only on Bollywood Hungama.</p></div>King,Marflix Pictures,Music,News,Red Chillies Entertainment,Shah Rukh Khan,Siddharth Anand,Song,Suhana Khan

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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 #homePro 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

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">TNPL 2026 Live: All-round batting display propels Nellai Royal Kings to 206/8 Follow Sportstar for extensive coverage of the tenth edition of the TNPL, from live scores and match reports to exclusive analysis and features.TOSSTiruppur Tamizhans won the toss and chose to bowl first.PLAYING XIsNellai 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 BhaskerTiruppur 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 NatarajanPublished on Aug 09, 2026 #TNPL #Live #Allround #batting #display #propels #Nellai #Royal #Kings

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