LAKE City, Utah – Larry Fitzgerald, a former wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals, was in Utah on Wednesday to watch the Jazz play the Grizzlies at the Delta Center.
The Jazz must have been inspired to start strong by seeing a football icon seated courtside, as they surged out to a 42-19 advantage by halftime.
Fitzgerald played in the NFL for a total of 17 years. He wore an Arizona Cardinals uniform for every one of his 263 games played.
Fitzgerald recorded 1,432 receptions for 17,492 yards and 121 touchdowns between 2004 and 2020.
Fitzgerald began working for ESPN as an analyst for Monday Night Countdown and other NFL broadcasts after retirement.
In addition to being selected for the NFL’s 100th Anniversary All-Time Team and 2010 All-Decade Team, he was also awarded the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award in 2016.
Jazz Returns Home Following a Losing Road Trip
When the Utah Jazz play the 0-4 Memphis Grizzlies in Salt Lake City on Wednesday night, they will be healthy.
According to the Jazz’s injury report, rookies Taylor Hendricks and Brice Sensabaugh have rejoined the team after being assigned to the Salt Lake City Stars earlier in the week.
In the meantime, the Grizzlies will be without two starters for some time as they attempt to end their current four-game losing run.
The Jazz return to Utah after dropping back-to-back road games against the Phoenix Suns and the Denver Nuggets.
Kevin Durant led the shorthanded Suns to a blowout 126-104 victory over the Jazz on Saturday night, before Monday’s 110-102 loss in Denver.
Despite the loss to the Nuggets, the Jazz appeared to finally find some cohesion in their starting lineup in Denver.
Coach Will Hardy started the half with his starters playing for extended periods of time, and the Jazz went on to win both the third and fourth quarters.
After the defeat, Hardy remarked, “There were way more positive things coming out of tonight than negative.” “Well, we would have liked to win, but that is one excellent basketball team.”
The Jazz’s frontcourt provided the most noteworthy improvement. Following a sluggish start to the season for rookie John Collins and second-year big Walker Kessler, the new duo, along with All-Star Lauri Markkanen, combined for 64 points and 36 rebounds in the defeat.