The Cardinals are ecstatic about the dynamic offensive weapon they just drafted and signed, Jeremiyah Love, to a four-year, $53 million contract. But franchise legend Larry Fitzgerald is enamored with something else entirely: Love’s character.
How Jeremiyah Love Recruited Larry Fitzgerald’s Son
Speaking about his relationship with the rookie phenom, Fitzgerald opened up about how Love played an unexpected, pivotal role in helping recruit his own son, Devin Fitzgerald, a highly touted wide receiver who recently enrolled early at Notre Dame. Over the last two years of the recruitment process, the elder Fitzgerald found himself spending a significant amount of time in South Bend, where he naturally gravitated toward Love.
Fitzgerald shared on the “In the Bayou” podcast, “This dude (Jeremiyah Love) is finishing second in the Heisman. He calling my son a random Tuesday, ‘hey, how workout’s going? What’s going on up there, man? Tell me.’ You know, like he don’t have to that. He does not, like there’s a million things he could be doing.”
“That’s not one of them,” Fitzgerald added. “And so, like, it shows you, like, he could just speak to a freshman that ain’t done nothing. But he just loves to be involved with the program.”
Love’s final season in South Bend was the stuff of college football lore, as he racked up 1,372 rushing yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground, averaging a staggering 6.9 yards per carry. He backed that up with 27 receptions for 280 yards and another 3 scores out of the backfield.
Now, those identical traits are moving from the balanced ecosystem of Notre Dame to the intense spotlight of the NFC West. Love forced 56 missed tackles last season and averaged 4.5 yards after contact, proving he is a true three-down back who thrives in the muddy, gritty interior yards just as much as he does in open space.
While NFL analysts like Albert Breer are already tabbing Love as the frontrunner for Offensive Rookie of the Year, Fitzgerald is looking at the bigger picture. He believes Love’s presence alone will transform the Cardinals’ locker room.
“I’m just very excited that we were able to get a player of his caliber on the Cardinals because I think he can elevate everybody,” Fitzgerald concluded. “You think he’s got transcending talent, and he’s made of the right things. And so I’m really excited about him, and I know he’s going to make some plays for us.”
Now that Love has made the transition to the NFL, South Bend might miss him not only on the field but also for luring elite recruits to Notre Dame.
