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An example of a wide receiver's positioning in an offensive formation: (L) in split end position, (R) in flanker position.

A wide receiver is an offensive position in American and Canadian football, and is the key player in most of the passing plays. The wide receiver position requires speed and agility. Only players in the backfield or the ends on the line are eligible to catch a forward pass. The two players who begin play at the ends of the offensive line are eligible receivers, as are all players in the backfield. The backs and ends who are relatively near the sidelines are referred to as "wide" receivers. At the start of play, one wide receiver may begin play in the backfield, at least a yard behind the line of scrimmage, as is shown in the diagram at the right. The wide receiver on the right begins play in the backfield. Such positioning allows another player, usually the tight end, to become the eligible receiver on that side of the line. Such positioning defines the strong side of the field. This is the right side of the field in the diagram shown.

The wide receiver (WR) or a flanker is a position in American and Canadian football is the pass-catching specialist. Wide receivers (also referred to as wideouts or simply receivers) are among the fastest and most agile players in the game, and they are frequent highlight-reel favorites.

The wide receiver's principal role is to catch passes from the quarterback. On passing plays, the receiver attempts to avoid, outmaneuver, or simply outrun defenders (typically cornerbacks and/or safeties) in the area of his pass route. If the receiver becomes open, or has an unobstructed path to the destination of a catch, he may then become the quarterback's target. Once a pass is thrown in his direction, the receiver's goal is to first catch the ball and then attempt to run downfield. Some receivers are perceived as a deep threat because of their flat-out speed, while others may be possession receivers known for not dropping passes, running crossing routes across the middle of the field, and generally, converting third down situations. A receiver's height and weight also contribute to his expected role; tall in height and light in weight are advantages at the receiver position.

Wide receivers, and the passing game generally, are particularly important when a team uses a hurry-up offense. Receivers are able to position themselves near the sideline to run out of bounds, stopping the clock at the end of the play (the last two minutes of each half in the NFL, and the last three minutes of each half in the CFL). (A failed, "incomplete", pass attempt will also stop the clock.)

A wide receiver has two potential roles in running routes that range in status. Particularly in the case of draw plays, he may run a pass route with the intent of drawing off defenders. Alternatively, he may block normally for the running back. Well-rounded receivers are noted for blocking defensive backs in support of teammates in addition to their pass-catching abilities.

Sometimes wide receivers are used to run the ball, usually in some form of reverse. This can be effective because the defense usually does not expect them to be the ball carrier on running plays. Although receivers are rarely used as ball carriers, running the ball with a receiver can be extremely successful. For example, in addition to holding nearly every National Football League receiving record, wide receiver Jerry Rice also rushed the ball 87 times for 645 yards and 10 touchdowns in his 20 NFL seasons.^[1]

In even rarer cases, receivers may pass the ball as part of a trick play. Despite the infrequency of these plays, some receivers have proven to be capable passers, particularly those with prior experience as a quarterback. A remarkable example where wide receiver and quarterback even swapped roles was Kansas City Chiefs' WR Mark Bradley's 37-yard touchdown pass to QB Tyler Thigpen against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on 2 November 2008.^[2]

Wide receivers also serve on special teams as return men on kickoffs and punts, or as part of the hands team during onside kicks.^[3][4]

Finally, on errant passes, receivers must frequently play a defensive role by attempting to prevent an interception. If a pass is intercepted, receivers must use their speed to chase down and tackle the ball carrier to prevent him from returning the ball for a long gain or a touchdown.

In the NFL, wide receivers can use the numbers 10–19 and 80–89.

Types[link]

While the general fan base and most commentators use the generic term wide receiver for all such players, specific names exist for most receiver positions:

• Split end (X or SE): A receiver on the line of scrimmage, necessary to meet the rule requiring seven such players at snap. Where applicable, this receiver is on the opposite side of the tight end. The split end is farthest from center on his side of the field.^[5]
• Flanker (Z or FL): A receiver lining up behind the line of scrimmage. Frequently the team's featured receiver, the flanker uses the initial buffer between himself and a defender to avoid jamming, legal contact within five yards of the line of scrimmage. The flanker is generally on the same side of the formation as a tight end. As with the split end, this receiver is the farthest player from the center on his side of the field. The flanker is probably lined up just like a split end except that he is just behind the line of scrimmage, being in the backfield and not on the line.^[6]
• Slot receiver (Y or SL): A less-formal name given to receivers in addition to split ends and flankers (for example tight-ends who line up wide). These receivers line up between the split end/flanker and the linemen. If aligned with a flanker, the slot receiver is usually on the line of scrimmage, and if with a split end, off the line of scrimmage. As with the flanker position, a featured receiver often takes a slot position with a split end to avoid jamming.^[6]
• Slot back: A receiver lining up in the offensive back field. Canadian and arena football allow them to take a running start at the line. They are usually larger players as they need to make catches over the middle. In American football slot backs are typically used in flexbone or other triple option offenses while Canadian football uses them in almost all formations.

Notes[link]

Larry Fitzgerald

Fitzgerald in 2006
No. 11     Arizona Cardinals
Wide receiver
Personal information
Date of birth: (1983-08-31) August 31, 1983 (age 28)
Place of birth: Minneapolis, Minnesota
Height: 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Weight: 218 lb (99 kg)
Career information
High school: Academy of Holy Angels
College: Pittsburgh
NFL Draft: 2004 / Round: 1 / Pick: 3
Debuted in 2004 for the Arizona Cardinals
Career history
Arizona Cardinals (2004–present)
Roster status: Active
Career highlights and awards
Consensus All-American (2003) Fred Biletnikoff Award (2003) Paul Warfield Trophy (2003) Walter Camp Award (2003) 6× Pro Bowl (2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011) 4× All-Pro (2007, 2008, 2009, 2011) NFC receiving yards leader (2008) NFC Champion (2008) Pro Bowl MVP (2009)
Career NFL statistics as of Week 17, 2011
Receptions 693 Receiving Yards 9,615 Receiving TDs 73 Stats at NFL.com
Stats at pro-football-reference.com

Larry Sean Fitzgerald, Jr. (born August 31, 1983) is an American football wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL), and currently ranks fourth all-time in league history in receiving yards per game for a career (76.0 yds/game), behind Andre Johnson, Torry Holt, and Marvin Harrison. He agreed to an eight year, $120 million contract extension on August 20, 2011.^[1] Fitzgerald was drafted third overall in the 2004 NFL Draft by the Cardinals. He played college football at the University of Pittsburgh.

College career[link]

Fitzgerald attended the University of Pittsburgh, where he played for the Pittsburgh Panthers football team. He was widely considered one of the best wide receivers in college football. After his sophomore season, Fitzgerald was recognized as the best player in the NCAA with the 2003 Walter Camp Award and the Touchdown Club of Columbus's Chic Harley Award, and as the best wide receiver in college football with the 2003 Biletnikoff Award and the Touchdown Club's Paul Warfield Award. He was also a unanimous 2003 All-America selection and a runner-up for the prestigious Heisman Trophy, given to the most outstanding player in college football; Oklahoma's Jason White won that award by a relatively slim margin.

In just 26 games with the Panthers, Fitzgerald caught 161 passes for 2,677 yards^[2] and set a new Pitt record with 34 receiving touchdowns.^[3] He was the first player in school history with back-to-back 1,000-yard receiving seasons,^[4] and his 14 games with at least 100 yards receiving broke Antonio Bryant's previous all-time Panthers record of 13.^[5]

Fitzgerald also holds an NCAA record with at least one touchdown catch in 18 straight games.^[2]

Professional career[link]

Pre-draft[link]

Although Fitzgerald had played at Pitt for only two years without redshirting, he petitioned the NFL to allow him to enter the 2004 NFL Draft, as he had left his high school, Academy of Holy Angels, during his senior year to attend Valley Forge Military Academy. The NFL granted an exception to allow Fitzgerald to enter the draft, as Fitzgerald had convinced the NFL that the time he spent at the Academy, combined with his time at Pitt, was the minimum three years removed from high school to make him eligible for the draft. Although former Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett was suing the NFL at the time to overturn the rule (a case Clarett ultimately won, but was later overturned on appeal), the NFL considered Fitzgerald's case separate from Clarett's.^[6]

Arizona Cardinals[link]

Fitzgerald left the University of Pittsburgh after a tremendous sophomore year in which he caught 92 passes for 1,672 yards and 22 TDs. He was drafted third overall in the 2004 NFL Draft by the Arizona Cardinals, whose then coach, Dennis Green, knew Fitzgerald from his time as a Vikings ball boy.

In 2004, Fitzgerald had 58 receptions for 780 yards and 8 touchdowns. On December 12, 2004, Fitzgerald became the youngest player at 21 years and 110 days, to record at least 2 touchdown receptions in a single game. In 2005 he led the NFL with 103 receptions for 1,409 yards and 10 touchdowns and was named to his first Pro Bowl. Fitzgerald teamed with Anquan Boldin to create one of the most dangerous wide receiver tandems in the NFL. In 2005, they became only the third duo from the same team to each catch over 100 passes and also the third pair of teammates to top the 1,400-yard mark.

In 2006, Fitzgerald was injured and missed part of the season but still produced 69 receptions for 946 yards and 6 touchdowns. As part of his 2007 Pro Bowl season, he caught 100 receptions for 1,409 yards and 10 touchdowns. Following the 2007 season Fitzgerald signed a four-year, $40 million contract extension with Arizona. While still under contract at the time, performance bonuses forced the team's hand into a massive extension.^[7] Fitzgerald's numbers earned him the nickname "Sticky Fingers" and "The Best Hands in the NFL" in local media.^[8]

During the NFC Championship for the 2008 NFL season, Fitzgerald tied an NFL record with three touchdown receptions in a playoff game. His three touchdown catches occurred in the first half; he became the first player in NFL history to accomplish that feat in a conference championship game.^[9] Fitzgerald also set a single postseason record with 546 receiving yards, 30 receptions, and 7 touchdown receptions, surpassing Jerry Rice's records of the 1988–89 NFL playoffs. He and the Cardinals represented the NFC in Super Bowl XLIII.^[10][11] During Super Bowl XLIII, Fitzgerald caught two touchdown passes in the Cardinals 27–23 loss to the Steelers.^[12] Fitzgerald followed up this performance by catching two more touchdown passes in the 2009 Pro Bowl, earning him MVP honors.^[13] After the Pro Bowl was over it was revealed that Fitzgerald had been playing at least the whole postseason with a broken left thumb as well as torn cartilage in the same hand. It is speculated that Fitzgerald has had this injury since November 5, 2008, when he showed up on the injury report with an injured thumb.^[14] After his record-breaking postseason, capped by his Pro Bowl MVP award, many analysts, including NFL Network's Jamie Dukes, regarded Fitzgerald as one of the best receivers in the NFL.^[15][16]

Despite having about 300 yards less than the year before, he set a personal record with 13 touchdowns in 2009. He added two more touchdown catches in the Wild Card game against the Green Bay Packers in a 51–45 win. However, the Cardinals were eliminated the next week, beaten 45–14 by the New Orleans Saints.

The 2010 season for the Cardinals was a major let down from the previous two years, as the retiring of Kurt Warner greatly affected their offense. Despite this, Fitzgerald was still able to catch 90 passes for 1,137 yards, and 6 touchdowns. After the season he was named to his 5th Pro Bowl, and his 4th in a row.

Larry Fitzgerald signed an 8-year $120 million deal with the Arizona Cardinals on August 20, 2011 that makes him tied with Richard Seymour as the 5th highest paid player in the NFL. That season he would catch 80 passes for 1,411 yards and 8 touchdowns.

Statistics[link]

Personal[link]

Fitzgerald's father, Larry Fitzgerald Sr., is a sportswriter for the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder. When he covered Super Bowl XLIII, he was believed to be the first reporter to cover his own son in a Super Bowl.^[17]

Fitzgerald also has a younger brother, Marcus R. Fitzgerald. Marcus is an American football wide receiver for the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the United Football League.

Fitzgerald's mother, Carol, died of a brain hemorrhage while being treated for breast cancer in 2003.^[18]

In December 2008, Angela Nazario, a former Oakland Raiders cheerleader and the mother of Fitzgerald's child, filed for and won an order of protection against Fitzgerald, alleging that he had shoved her during a domestic disturbance. No charges were filed.^[19] Fitzgerald's father claimed that Nazario made the accusations in an attempt "to get a lot of money," and his lawyers have said that they cannot discuss the case because a judge had it sealed.^[18] In January 2010, Fitzgerald appeared in a television commercial saying that he was completing his college degree at the University of Phoenix while also playing football many weekends at the Arizona Cardinals' University of Phoenix Stadium.

In the media[link]

Fitzgerald was featured on the cover of the EA Sports video game NCAAF 2005. He was also one of two players (with Troy Polamalu) who are on the cover of Madden 2010.^[20] This makes him one of two people (along with Shaun Alexander) in the history of the EA Sports American Football games to appear on two different covers.

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Larry Fitzgerald

• Official website
• Larry Fitzgerald on Twitter
• Larry Fitzgerald on Facebook
• Arizona Cardinals bio
• Larry Fitzgerald on ESPN.com
• Larry Fitzgerald Heisman promotional video on YouTube
• WQED OnQ feature on Larry Fitzerald's Pittsburgh legacy
• Larry Fitzgerald featured in the Music Business Journal