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Larry Fitzgerald Speaks To Cal Football Team

Aug 19, 2022
Larry Fitzgerald had a roomful of interested Golden Bears when he spoke at the team's meeting on Thursday evening.

BERKELEY – The Cal football program had a special guest Thursday evening when 11-time Pro Bowler Larry Fitzgerald addressed the Golden Bears at their nightly fall camp team meeting. Fitzgerald played for 17 seasons in the NFL all with the Arizona Cardinals (2004-20) and ranks second among the league's all-time leaders in receptions (1432) and receiving yards (17492) behind only Jerry Rice, as well as sixth in touchdown receptions (121) and ninth in games started (261).

Fitzgerald met Cal's Travers Family Head Coach Justin Wilcox this past summer and told the team that he was instantly mesmerized by Wilcox's character and the love he showed for his Cal team, which motivated Fitzgerald to come to Berkeley to speak to the Bears.

Fitzgerald talked to the team for over 30 minutes and among several topics touched on the specialness of brotherhood in a college football program, accountability, the importance of making good decisions, working hard, and being thankful for what you have. He also emphasized that the 2022 Cal football team has the ability to write its own script this season.

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"To have Larry Fitzgerald come and in and share some of his knowledge and personal experiences with us really meant the world to me, especially as a receiver," Mavin Anderson said. "Afterwards, he took extra time to sit in with the receivers and was more than happy to offer advice of any kind. The experience was surreal, and I am beyond grateful for the opportunity to meet a standout guy like him."

"We appreciate Larry Fitzgerald coming out to talk to our team," Wilcox said. "Larry is amazingly humble and friendly, and he embodies hard work, sacrifice, selflessness and being a good teammate. His values and message align with what we teach our student-athletes."