GLENDALE, AZ — Arizona Cardinals fans still holding out hope that Larry Fitzgerald would return for an 18th season were dealt a dose of reality Friday afternoon.
"To be honest with you, I just don't have the urge to play right now," Fitzgerald told Jim Gray on their new Sirius XM show called "Let's Go".
That is the most notable comment from Fitzgerald about his playing future since last season ended, but it wasn't a flat-out retirement. Fitzgerald left the door ajar.
"I don't know how I'll feel in September, October, November moving forward but I just, today, I just don't have the urge. And I think I have to be respectful of that. Football is not one of those games you want to walk out there and play and not be fully engaged and ready to prepare and do the things necessary that you need to do."
Clearly, Fitzgerald isn't 100% ready to hang it up for good, but he's also not the person that is doing this just to skip training camp and preseason games.
Maybe that urge will return if the Cardinals, or another desirable team, are in playoff position and he can make one final push for a championship ring.
Maybe a couple of injuries happen at the wide receiver position and Fitzgerald picks up the phone with a bigger role in the offense. As it stands right now, with DeAndre Hopkins, A.J. Green, Christian Kirk, and Rondale Moore, the Cardinals have a good starting four.
Make no mistake, the Cardinals would welcome Fitzgerald back with open arms if the urge to play returns, Steve Keim and Kliff Kingsbury have made that clear.
But Friday was as close as the soon-to-be 38-year-old has come to uttering "retirement".
"For now I'll be a radio broadcaster," he said.
