Larry Fitzgerald had just been presented his unique Cardinals Ring of Honor jacket on Saturday night when he opened with an anecdote about his fellow jacket recipient Adrian Wilson.
Fitzgerald had just signed his rookie contract after a brief holdout when during his first padded practice, Wilson drilled him despite the ball not coming Fitzgerald's way.
"He was being a bully, as usual," Fitzgerald said with a big grin, meeting Wilson's smile offstage.
Fitzgerald quickly turned it into praise for his former teammate, intensity unmatched. And he complimented Roy Green, the receiver who held many of the Cardinals' records Fitzgerald ultimately broke, and Roger Werhli, the cornerback who shut down receivers like Fitzgerald back in St. Louis.
They were the four on hand to get the unique ROH jackets in a legends ceremony at the Arizona Biltmore on the eve of Fitzgerald's Ring of Honor induction and No. 11 retirement at halftime of Sunday's game between the Cardinals and the Broncos.
Owner Michael Bidwill was surprised with a jacket representing his father Bill, who is also in the Ring of Honor.
The dozens of former Cardinals from different eras, including Super Bowl mainstays like Darnell Dockett, Lyle Sendlein, Levi Brown, and Deuce Lutui, familiar names like Jake Plummer, Leonard Davis and Bertrand Berry, attended the event to watch the presentation.
Also on hand prior to their Saturday night meetings were current Cardinals Michael Wilson, Trey McBride, Zaven Collins, Budda Baker and James Conner.
Fitzgerald was at the nexus.
"It makes me happy that I have so many people that genuinely care about me," Fitzgerald said.
The jackets, designed by Lindsey Tamblyn, are custom tailored and Cardinal red. The lining is made up of multiple photos from the player's Cardinals career, in addition to highlights of various accomplishments and milestones. The patch in front signifying Ring of Honor status is removable, if the recipient would prefer to wear the jacket out.
"I'm not ever going to take this off," Green said as he put on his jacket. "This is beautiful."
The Cardinals will set up personal presentations for those living Ring of Honor members who couldn't attend Saturday to receive their jackets. The next phase of the project will be creating jackets to honor the Ring of Honor members who have passed away, with the blazers being presented to their families.
"Just throughout the process, the thought that was put into it, when you play for the Cardinals, you probably get a lot more grief than you deserve because of the history," Wilson said. "But I loved every second playing here, I'm still here, and I am very appreciative."
