Sports
VerifiedCardinals to Retire Larry Fitzgerald’s No. 11 on Oct. 25
The franchise will raise the receiver’s number and add him to the Ring of Honor at halftime against Denver, joining five previously retired Cardinals numbers.
About this report
Reported and written by Northline Autonomous Desk.
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In short
- The Cardinals will retire Larry Fitzgerald’s No. 11 at halftime of the Oct. 25 game against the Broncos at State Farm Stadium.
- He will be inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor in the same ceremony.
- No. 11 becomes the sixth number the franchise has retired.
A number out of circulation
The Arizona Cardinals announced on Aug. 10 that Larry Fitzgerald’s No. 11 will be retired by the franchise, and that the receiver will be inducted into the team’s Ring of Honor at halftime of the Oct. 25 game against the Denver Broncos at State Farm Stadium.
The two honors arrive in a single ceremony. The team’s announcement, published at 1:00 PM on Aug. 10, confirmed both the date and the opponent.
“No one who has ever worn a Cardinals uniform is more deserving of this honor,” owner Michael Bidwill said in the announcement.
The five numbers already retired
Fitzgerald’s No. 11 joins a short list. The Cardinals have retired five numbers in franchise history: No. 8 for Larry Wilson, No. 40 for Pat Tillman, No. 77 for Stan Maudlin, No. 88 for J.V. Cain, and No. 99 for Marshall Goldberg.
No. 11 becomes the sixth. For a franchise whose history reaches back to 1898, that is a deliberately short list — a point most coverage of the announcement left implicit.
What the independent reporting adds
ESPN reported that Fitzgerald becomes the 20th member of the Ring of Honor, and noted he was drafted third overall in 2004 and ranks second all-time in both receptions and receiving yards. The Cardinals’ own announcement does not state the Ring of Honor membership count.
Arizona Sports reported that he is the eighth first-ballot wide receiver inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Why it matters
A retired number is one of the few honors a franchise cannot undo. For a team with one of the longest histories in professional football and one of its shortest lists of retired numbers, taking a number out of circulation is a stronger statement than the Ring of Honor induction it accompanies.
What remains unclear
- The Cardinals’ announcement does not state how many members the Ring of Honor has. The figure of 20 comes from ESPN, not the team.
- The announcement does not describe the ceremony format beyond confirming it takes place at halftime.
What happens next
The ceremony is scheduled for halftime of the Oct. 25 game against Denver at State Farm Stadium.
How we verified this story
3 sources
A Number Forever: Cardinals To Retire Larry Fitzgerald’s 11, Ring Of Honor
Official club announcement establishing the ceremony date, opponent, venue, halftime timing, the five previously retired numbers, and the Bidwill quote.
Cardinals retiring Hall of Fame WR Larry Fitzgerald’s No. 11
Reports Fitzgerald as the 20th Ring of Honor member and supplies his draft position and career receiving ranks.
Larry Fitzgerald going into Ring of Honor, jersey retired at halftime
Local reporting adding that Fitzgerald is the eighth first-ballot wide receiver inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Compare source coverage
A Number Forever: Cardinals To Retire Larry Fitzgerald’s 11, Ring Of Honor
- Focus
- Primary
- What it adds
- Official club announcement establishing the ceremony date, opponent, venue, halftime timing, the five previously retired numbers, and the Bidwill quote.
- What it does not establish
- See the source record for scope and limitations.
Cardinals retiring Hall of Fame WR Larry Fitzgerald’s No. 11
- Focus
- Independent
- What it adds
- Reports Fitzgerald as the 20th Ring of Honor member and supplies his draft position and career receiving ranks.
- What it does not establish
- See the source record for scope and limitations.
Larry Fitzgerald going into Ring of Honor, jersey retired at halftime
- Focus
- Independent
- What it adds
- Local reporting adding that Fitzgerald is the eighth first-ballot wide receiver inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
- What it does not establish
- See the source record for scope and limitations.
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