Larry Fitzgerald reaches 1,400 career receptions

Arizona Cardinals receiver and Pitt great Larry Fitzgerald made history on Sunday night, as he became just the second wide receiver in NFL history to accrue 1,400 career receptions. Fitzgerald reached the mark during a thriller between the Arizona Cardinals and the Seattle Seahawks and helped his team to a 37-34 win.

Fitzgerald reached the milestone in the second quarter of the game on a quick pass up the middle by Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray that gained nine yards. That play brought up a 2nd-and-1 and was followed by another pass to Fitzgerald that gained 12 yards. The drive would end with a 49-yard field goal by Zane Gonzalez that ended the first half and brought the score to 27-17, Seahawks.

All told, Fitzgerald would finish the game with a season-high 62 yards on eight receptions, and characteristically, he had zero drops. With Sunday accounted for, Fitzgerald has 207 yards on 29 receptions this season but has yet to find the end zone seven weeks into the campaign.

Fitzgerald’s diminished production is due in part to the offseason addition of Deandre Hopkins from the Houston Texans. Hopkins has become Murray’s go-to target and now leads the Cardinals and the league in receiving yards and receptions with 704 yards on 57 catches to go with three touchdowns in a matter of seven games this season.

In his career, Fitzgerald has 17,290 yards and 120 touchdowns on 1,407 receptions. He trails San Francisco 49ers great Jerry Rice in each statistical category, as Rice had 22,895 yards and 197 touchdowns on 1,549 career catches.

Fitzgerald is seven touchdowns away from passing Cleveland Browns great Jim Brown and cracking the top 10 in career touchdowns. With nine more scores, he would pass Indianapolis Colts great Marvin Harrison and enter the top five in receiving touchdowns.