“Larry Fitzgerald, arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL, occasionally catches passes in games with his eyes closed like he has a sixth sense,” said Forbes in a 2015 article. “However, his incredible skill did not manifest from some supernatural event… His grandfather Dr. Robert Johnson, an optometrist, worked with Fitzgerald to overcome [a childhood eyesight issue] through vision therapy.” Fitzgerald’s grandfather would have him stand on a balance beam in the dark and catch footballs thrown progressively farther to the outer edges of his peripheral vision.
You’ll often hear NFL star players, such as Peyton Manning or Christian McCaffrey, credit their fathers who also played in the NFL for their successes. But Fitzgerald is unique in crediting his grandfather and father—an optometrist and a journalist—for enabling him to have unique training that aided him in setting records and guiding his team to a Super Bowl.
Fitzgerald’s father, Larry Fitzgerald Sr., was a sportswriter for the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, and helped him obtain a job as a ball boy with the Minnesota Vikings. According to FanBuzz: “Fitzgerald reportedly impressed the [Viking’s] star wide receivers, Randy Moss and Cris Carter. Fitzgerald would assist with special teams drills and he eventually began working his way into them.” Before becoming an NFL player he had already mentally catalogued thousands of elite NFL throws and receptions.
Fitzgerald was an All-American at Pittsburgh and runner up for the Heisman trophy in 2003. He helped lead the Arizona Cardinals to an appearance in Super Bowl XLII. Late in the fourth quarter, Fitzgerald had a 64-yard touchdown reception from Kurt Warner to go ahead 23-20, but the Pittsburgh Steelers won 27-23. Fitzgerald set a postseason record with 546 receiving yards, 30 receptions, and seven touchdowns, surpassing Jerry Rice’s records. He ranks second in both NFL career receiving yards and receptions.
In August, 2026 Fitzgerald will be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He has said: “My mother was a great inspiration to always do my best. My father has always been my mentor and friend. They taught me the basic principle that guides most all that I do: faith, focus, finish.”
