Get to know Larry Fitzgerald Jr, a former NFL player turned investor. He entered the NFL in 2004 after he was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals. He would go one to become the cornerstone of the franchise during his 17-season NFL career.
Before entering the NFL, Fitzgerald Jr. solidified his reputation as one of college football’s greatest wide receivers. The Football Foundation highlights his historic collegiate performance, which made him the first sophomore to win the Walter Camp Player of the Year award, a honor recognizing athletic excellence and community impact.
His professional career was equally distinguished. Fitzgerald retired in 2020 ranking second in NFL history for career receptions (1,432) and among the top in receiving yards (17,492). His accolades include 11 Pro Bowl selections, the 2016 Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year Award, and inclusion in the NFL 100 All-Time Team (2019). Over his career, he earned approximately $180 million, per Spotrac.
While keeping an NFL career, Fitzgerald Jr planned his post NFL career. Before he would hang up his jersey, he founded the Larry Fitzgerald Foundation to honor his mother, Carol, who died of breast cancer in 2003.
The foundation supports breast cancer initiatives and youth empowerment, focusing on education and technology access. In October 2024, it organized a STEM-focused field trip for Arizona students at Phoenix Raceway, featuring car design workshops and NASCAR simulators, as reported by AZFamily.
His business success was partially thanks to a meeting with a J.P. Morgan executive while he was still an NFL player. The meeting led to an off-season internship, which he described to Morgan Stanley as a transformative experience.
Despite initial challenges, the opportunity shaped his business mindset, later guiding investments across real estate, tech, hospitality, and sports through his Larry Fitzgerald Enterprises. His portfolio includes stakes in over 160 startups such as WHOOP, Chess.com, and Steak 44.
“There were times during my internship, especially at the onset, when I felt overwhelmed or uncomfortable, but the experience gave me extreme confidence. I brought a unique set of experiences, insights, and perspectives to the firm, value to the program, and to my fellow interns and executive leadership,” Fitzgerald Jr. recalled to Morgan Stanley.
“In retrospect, this became a great lens into how I would approach my role in business–and as I learned and familiarized myself with finance, I began to implement my learnings from this internship to formulate a track for myself in business, which has served me well ever since.”
Post-retirement, Fitzgerald earned a certification in entertainment, media, and sports from Harvard Business School (2020) and joined boards for DICK’S Sporting Goods, Boys & Girls Clubs of America, and Qualtrics.
He also advocates for youth with ADHD, crediting chess with managing his own childhood struggles. An early investor in Chess.com, he plays chess daily and promotes the game’s educational benefits, as per Afro Tech.
In 2024, Fitzgerald launched Trenches Capital, a firm targeting tech and fintech ventures, as noted by the University of Pittsburgh. His multifaceted career, spanning sports, philanthropy, and business, reflects a relentless pursuit of growth and service, cementing his legacy far beyond the gridiron.
