Larry Fitzgerald isn't ready to make his plans for 2017 and beyond known just yet.
Following Arizona's season-opening loss to the Patriots on Sunday night, the longtime Cardinals receiver downplayed a NFL Network report earlier in the day that he plans to retire after this season.
"I don’t talk about the future,” he said, via the Arizona Republic. “I don’t even know what I am having for dinner tonight, let alone what I am doing next year.”
ESPN's Adam Schefter suggested the retirement talk is premature.
Cardinals fans can relax. Larry Fitzgerald has no plans to retire after this year, per sources. It's why he signed an extension last month.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 12, 2016
The 33-year-old Fitzgerald, who has spent his entire career with the Cardinals, signed a one-year extension last month that runs through 2017. Quarterback Carson Palmer got an extension through 2018 the same day.
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Fitzgerald has made it clear he doesn't want to play with another quarterback besides Palmer the rest of his career, but the new deal also doesn't guarantee Fitzgerald will stick around for another season.
“I signed another year for a reason,” Fitzgerald said Sunday. “I believe in what we are doing here, and (team president) Michael Bidwill is doing everything he can to put us in position to win. That is where my mindset is at. What I am doing next year is of no importance. This is the year, and I want to make sure it is a great one.”
After three consecutive years in which he failed to reach 1,000 yards receiving, Fitzgerald had a bounceback campaign in 2015 with 1,215 yards and nine touchdowns. He opened 2016 with eight catches for 81 yards and two scores — the 99th and 100th touchdowns of his career.
