For such a quiet and seemingly humble NFL superstar, Larry Fitzgerald sure does have some loudmouthed — or free-fingered — family members. With their various injuries to key players, 2011 has turned into an up-and-down year for the Cardinals. One player you could make a case for as someone who has stepped up is Early Doucet, who has more than doubled his output from last season with 682 yards receiving and five touchdowns. However, Larry Fitzgerald’s father, Larry Fitzgerald Sr., sees Doucet as one of the main issues with Arizona’s offense.
“Early Doucet bombed this year he drops to many passes not a dependable No.2,” Fitzgerald Sr. wrote on Twitter Monday. “Needs to work harder at his job. He dropped 5 TDs this year.”
When contacted by ESPN later in the day, Fitzgerald Sr. tried to clarify his comments by further blasting the fourth-year receiver.
“I just know that Larry invited him to come and work out with him this summer and some guys take initiative and do it, some guys don’t,” he explained. “But with the lockout, I thought he would have worked on it a little harder. That is me. People criticize me because they think I talk too much. That is just how I see it.
“I wasn’t picking on him. I track when he drops the ball in critical situations. They use Larry the way they are going to use him, so they know others are going to be singled (in coverage). The Ravens game, he dropped one on the goal line. I remember other games. Now that they’re out of the playoffs, I’m putting it out there.”
Larry Sr. wasn’t picking on Doucet, he was just completely singling him out. Apparently there’s a difference. Two seasons ago, Fitzgerald’s younger brother created a sticky situation when he tweeted that Larry (Jr.) was unhappy with “80 year old” Kurt Warner not getting him the ball enough. Considering Fitzgerald just signed a contract that will keep him with the Cardinals for the next eight years, I’m guessing he’d appreciate it if his family members would stop trying to create rifts between he and his teammates.
Chest bump to Pro Football Talk for the story.
