Throwback Thursday: Fitzgerald On The Move

Arizona Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald is moving up the NFL's All-Time receptions and receiving yards lists. That shouldn't be a surprise. He's one of the best to ever play the receiver position.

Receptions

1	Jerry Rice+	1,549	1985-2004	3TM
2	Tony Gonzalez	1,325	1997-2013	2TM
3	Marvin Harrison+	1,102	1996-2008	clt
4	Cris Carter+	1,101	1987-2002	3TM
5	Tim Brown+	1,094	1988-2004	2TM
6	Terrell Owens	1,078	1996-2010	5TM
7	Larry Fitzgerald	1,074	2004-2016	crd
8	Reggie Wayne	1,070	2001-2014	clt
9	Andre Johnson	1,062	2003-2016	3TM
10	Jason Witten	1,050	2003-2016	dal

Receiving yards

1	Jerry Rice+	22,895	1985-2004	3TM
2	Terrell Owens	15,934	1996-2010	5TM
3	Randy Moss	15,292	1998-2012	5TM
4	Isaac Bruce	15,208	1994-2009	2TM
5	Tony Gonzalez	15,127	1997-2013	2TM
6	Tim Brown+	14,934	1988-2004	2TM
7	Marvin Harrison+	14,580	1996-2008	clt
8	Reggie Wayne	14,345	2001-2014	clt
9	Steve Smith	14,242	2001-2016	2TM
10	Andre Johnson	14,185	2003-2016	3TM
11	James Lofton+	14,004	1978-1993	5TM
12	Larry Fitzgerald	13,920	2004-2016	crd
13	Cris Carter+	13,899	1987-2002	3TM
14	Henry Ellard	13,777	1983-1998	3TM
15	Anquan Boldin	13,471	2003-2016	4TM

Jerry Rice put nearly all career receiving records in a faraway orbit. He did that by being great and by being great into his 40s. If Fitzgerald plays as long maybe he threatens those numbers. Maybe. He's 33. Rice had one of his best seasons at 33. 122 catches for 1848 yards and 15 touchdowns. The yardage total was a career best. Fitzgerald is currently on pace for 112 catches for about 1100 yards and 10 touchdowns. That reception total would push him past Terrell Owens, Tim Brown, Cris Carter, and Marvin Harrison into third place on the reception list. Another couple of seasons at his current pace and he's #2. He should be in the top-10 on the receiving yards list by the end of this season. Perhaps as high as #7.

There were some rumors earlier this season that Fitzgerald plans to retire after this season. He's since squashed those rumors. He's still among the best receivers in the game and there's no sign that he's slowing. He could play for two, five, or ten more seasons. It's up to him. Future movement on the all-time receiving lists for Fitzgerald might depend as much on who's throwing the ball to him as how much longer he plays. He's had Kurt Warner throwing to him. He currently has Carson Palmer but those days might be numbered. Outside of those two terrific quarterbacks he's been catching passes from quantity rather than quality. He still managed to be productive no matter the quarterback throwing to him but there's still only so much that he can do on his own. Rice, on the other hand, had the luxury of catching passes from Hall of Famers Joe Montana and Steve Young. He also had resurgent Rich Gannon throwing passes in his late, strange days with the Oakland Raiders. No receiver has probably been more blessed for so long.

No matter how long Larry Fitzgerald plays or his eventual place on the all-time lists he's one of the best to ever catch a football in the NFL. There have been very few receivers that made the simple act of catching a football look so effortless and so beautiful.