Is Larry Fitzgerald underrated?

[AlbertPullhoez]

Imagine if the Chargers wouldve drafted him instead of Philip Rivers

 

[Street Knowledge]

He has like Top 5 hands ever and he almost carried the goddamn cardinals to a chip

 

[premier58]

I'm cool with that too, except Fitz was very much a part of this decade so he benefited from the same rules and styles of guys of said era. So they all benefited from it, you can still evenly evaluate his skillset as to whether he was better than these guys...

You can easily make a case that AB, Megatron, Julio, Nuk are every bit as good or even better than Fitz ever was, they just don't have the time in the game yet....and I don't think most people would even argue against Julio at this point at all, he has played 9 years so it isn't a tiny sample size...

Fitz came into the league in 04, my G..The game changed for pass catchers and passers, for good, in 2011. Thats what I call the pinball era.

 

[premier58]

I dont think Larry is underrated. He gets his due. In fact, people dont even mention that he played with Anquan Boldin for 7 years they only mention how shytty his QBs were. Andre Johnson the most underrated WR ever.

Good post, but there are several WRs more underrated than Andre Johnson. Who talks about Gary Clark? Who talks about James Loffon? Even Steve Largent. He has incredible accolades,.Pro Bowls, All Pros, HOF etc..but how many ppl know that he was the 1st WR to score 100 tds? Excelled in a brutal era of the NFL, despite coming of age on an expansion team?? His yards per reception, hands, body control, footwork(release and boundary) were look rather unique

 

[VegetasHairline]

Larry Fitzgerald finished his career with more tackles than dropped passes.

 

[AlbertPullhoez]

AJ Green has gotten underrated and forgotten over the years speaking of HOF talents at WR

 

[Shadow King]

It's funny that there's a longevity argument against Frank Gore and a lack of explosive seasons argument against Mike Evans on this board...when Larry is somewhat an example of both...

 

[Reggie]

It's funny that there's a longevity argument against Frank Gore and a lack of explosive seasons argument against Mike Evans on this board...when Larry is somewhat an example of both...

Somewhat feel what you are saying though Fitz was dominant in his prime and played with mediocrity at QB a lot of his career. Plus he had 4 1400 yard seasons. 5 100 catch seasons along with 40 more TD's then Gore despite touching the ball a lot less. And Frank only had 1 season over 1400 yards rushing and 1 season rushing for double digit TD's.

 

[Shadow King]

Somewhat feel what you are saying though Fitz was dominant in his prime and played with mediocrity at QB a lot of his career. Plus he had 4 1400 yard seasons. 5 100 catch seasons along with 40 more TD's then Gore despite touching the ball a lot less. And Frank only had 1 season over 1400 yards rushing and 1 season rushing for double digit TD's.

The Gore-Larry comparison is cross positions so I'm not gonna get detailed, but Gore gets punished for playing 16 seasons when Larry played 17. He's also not the only HOF HB with longevity.

As far as Evans:

Larry has 5 1200 yard seasons, including the 4 you brought up, in 17 seasons.
Mike has 4 in 11.

Larry has 5 10 TD seasons in 17.
Mike has 6 in 11.

My point is that the narrative shouldn't have as large of a gap as the Coli gives it, and this is largely because this board can't see beyond the first ballot.

 

[010101]

PROFESSIONAL*

 

[KidJSoul]

Those stats aren't really relevant as Fitz played the duration of the 2010s where 5000 yard passers and 150+ targets became the norm. We all know the 10s became much more pass-centric and TO was out in '10 and Moss only played two seasons this decade...

Those guys are older so were at the end of the road, imagine Moss and Owens playing in this era. Between the two of them they only had one 1500 yard season, while Julio has already done that three times. Benefit of the era...

So if you compare Fitz to those guys the numbers aren't the best way to go unless context is provided. Fitz was 27 and very much within his prime at the top of the decade, the other guys were not and didn't have the benefit of playing in the passing explosion if the 10s...

To me there's a sharp distinction from Fitz to those guys. Of course he has moments in his day, but he couldn't take over and dominate a football game with regularity the way TO and Moss could. Moss wanted in effort at times and TO definitely didn't have the most trustworthy hands but those guys were dynamic everywhere else...

I think my main thing with Fitz isn't that he's an All-Timer, because he is. But he's kind of within the pack of several great receivers of his day and at this point I think most people would say Julio is probably greater peak for peak, so add Julio to Harrison and Andre and Calvin, where exactly is Fitz standing out from guys, either than the fact he's played longer? You get points for durability but not so many points that it can be ignored other guys were better in the era in which you played at your peak...

Posts like this is why I enjoy your posting my guy.

Well stated

 

[mozichrome]

is there a reason breh wont formally announce his retirement?

 

[Reggie]

The Gore-Larry comparison is cross positions so I'm not gonna get detailed, but Gore gets punished for playing 16 seasons when Larry played 17. He's also not the only HOF HB with longevity.

As far as Evans:

Larry has 5 1200 yard seasons, including the 4 you brought up, in 17 seasons.
Mike has 4 in 11.

Larry has 5 10 TD seasons in 17.
Mike has 6 in 11.

My point is that the narrative shouldn't have as large of a gap as the Coli gives it, and this is largely because this board can't see beyond the first ballot.

Preaching to the choir over here bro. I've been said Evans was going in the Hall and Gore is too.

 

[Black Lightning]

The Frank Gore of WRs

Fitzgerald:

-2nd all time in receiving yards(17,492)
-2nd all time in receptions(1,432)
-6th all time in td receptions(121)
-Has more tackles(39) than drops(29)

Gore:

-3rd all time in rushing(16,000)
-20th all time in rushing td’s(81)
-Tied for 92nd all time in yards per carry(4.4)
-61st all time is rushing yards per game(66.4)

 

[NZA]

is there a reason breh wont formally announce his retirement?

he just didnt want the attention.