After having an illustrious career with the Arizona Cardinals, former wide receiver and Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald has achieved yet another accomplishment, with his high school, Academy of Holy Angels, dedicating the field at the StarDome as “Fitzgerald Field.”

“What a special day being back at the @academyofholyangels,” Larry wrote in his Instagram post. “My time there helped shape me as a young man, and spending the day with the Holy Angels community was a reminder of how grateful I am for the teachers, coaches, classmates and teammates who were in my corner during those years and still are today.”

The field has been intentionally named after Larry’s family name, as his mother, Carol, passed away in 2003 after battling breast cancer, with a scholarship in her name carrying her legacy. Larry lost yet another parent, as his father, Larry Sr., passed away this summer at age 71, with Larry being inducted into the Hall of Fame just a month after his father’s demise.

Larry was a two-time, first-team all-state wide receiver after playing three years for the school, and said that the Fitzgerald name “was a collective,” honoring every member of his family, which also includes his brother, Marcus.

During his NFL career, Larry played all 17 years with the Cardinals, earning 11 Pro Bowl selections and three first-team All-Pro honors. He also won the 2016 NFL Walter Payton Man of the Year award. But not seeing his parents at the Hall of Fame ceremony was a “gut blow” for him. Larry described in an interview on the Varsity Insiders with Randy Shaver podcast how his parents were always there to support him since his high school days.

“All of my greatest times in that place, both of my parents were there supporting me,” Fitzgerald said. “My mom would be in that second row next to the tunnel and my dad was always standing there on the sideline about the 25-yard line. I could always look to him and he’d give me a lot of confidence to persevere.”

Larry also talked about the importance of Holy Angels in his life, which supported him and his family “through some tumultuous times.” Larry is also part of community work, with the Carol Fitzgerald Scholarship project helping inner-city kids from South Minneapolis get more opportunities at Holy Angels.

Though it is a massive accomplishment, Larry wasn’t the one who thought of this idea; in fact, he believed that contributions could be made without naming things, but he was convinced by Jesse Foley, a 1989 graduate and director of admissions at Holy Angels.

Larry also recalled Mr. Sawyer, Mr. Monseur, and Kathy Handley as some of the teachers who nurtured and cared for him. He further mentioned his defensive coordinator in high school, Mike Pendino; his friend, Dan Woods; and current Shakopee coach Ray Beatton as the ones who further helped him flourish into a football star.

With the help and support of Holy Angels, Larry became one of the best wide receivers in the history of the sport. Although he wasn’t able to win a Super Bowl, Larry is still happy and grateful for his career.

“It is a part I’m very happy about, and I didn’t leave anything out there. I look back with zero regrets. It would have been great to win a championship, but the journey I had with the men and women along the way was really special.”

But after his football career, Larry has shifted toward being a lovable father, with his eldest son, Devin Fitzgerald, playing receiver at Notre Dame as a freshman. Larry has reflected on his dad duties and says that “There is nothing more enjoyable in life than seeing your kids do something they love, and having worked very hard to attain it.”

Larry’s younger son Milos has also followed his father’s footsteps, but has opted for a different role, playing a punt returner, receiver, and defensive back. Larry calls him a “Swiss Army knife.”

With his high school naming its football field after his family name, Larry isn’t just engraving his legacy; he’s also carrying the future of the Fitzgerald family, shouldering the responsibilities of a father, and potentially seeing future Fitzgeralds head to the league.