Larry Fitzgerald makes it a point each summer to return to Minnesota to work with the area youth. The Arizona Cardinals all-pro receiver was at it again Monday at alma mater Academy of Holy Angels in Richfield.

The focus of his football procamp, Fitzgerald said, isn’t to help kids become pro athletes, to teach them life lessons.

“You have to invest the time and resources into helping them achieve their goals,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s the same way people did for me, so it’s always important to pay it forward. I just want them to be good young people. That’s all you want.”

Why the need to come back to Minnesota? This, Fitzgerald noted, is where it all started. He talked about idolizing local athletes such as John Randle, Randall McDaniel, Kirby Puckett, Kevin Garnett and Mike Modano, to name a few, and mentioned others in the community who helped him growing up.

But Minnesota is not where he sees his pro football career ending. Fitzgerald will be back for his 15th NFL season this fall, all of which he has played with the Cardinals. This is the last year of his current contract, meaning Fitzgerald could become a free agent next offseason. He admits he still has “purple in his veins” from his days as a Vikings ball boy, but he doesn’t see himself playing for the Vikings.

“If I’m not playing in Arizona, I won’t be playing anywhere,” he said. “I’ve built a good life for myself down there. Playing in the same place for 15 years is a true blessing.”

And he could play much longer.

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