Larry Fitzgerald signed a one-year contract extension with the Arizona Cardinals on Friday, the team announced.
The new deal keeps the veteran wide receiver under contract through the 2018 season. Pro Football Talk first reported the development.
Fitzgerald has continued to be a steady, high-level performer for a Cardinals offense that has been significantly hampered by injuries to Carson Palmer and David Johnson. At 34, he's on pace for a third consecutive 1,000-yard season. Last week, he became the sixth player in NFL history to push past 15,000 career receiving yards.
Heading into Sunday's game against the Houston Texans, Fitzgerald has caught 60 passes for 677 yards and three touchdowns in 2017.
Fitzgerald hauling in an extension with the Cardinals comes as somewhat of a surprise since the 10-time Pro Bowler was contemplating the possibility of retirement last offseason. However, in July, Fitzgerald told NFL Network's Steve Wyche he wasn't ready to retire.
"I can still play at a high level," Fitzgerald said. "If my number is called I can still make a play."
Fitzgerald has certainly proved that. The big question remains, what changes will come to the desert this offseason? Palmer's injury spurred talk of the possible end of the Palmer-Fizgerald-Bruce Arians era in Arizona. At 4-5, the Cardinals are sitting dangerously close to missing the playoffs again, and changes could be in the cards.
Giving Fitzgerald an extension will at least give the Cardinals some certainty -- and insurance -- in their passing game.
