Bill Belichick Makes Surprising Comparison For Larry Fitzgerald

New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick and his team will confront Larry Fitzgerald and the Arizona Cardinals in Week 12.

Fitzgerald is close to the end of his professional career. However, the future Hall of Famer is an important player in Kliff Kingsbury’s offense. He has 43 receptions for 336 yards this season.

Belichick praised Fitzgerald and compared him to Peyton Manning. Yes, you read it right. The head coach didn’t mention quarterback Tom Brady.

“He’s, I would say, to receivers what Peyton Manning was to quarterbacks in terms of the type of total obsession of knowing everything about the position and how to do things and convey those to his teammates,” Belichick said. “He’s had tremendous production. I mean, other than Jerry Rice, those two guys are really at the top of the production list in pretty much every area. His longevity has been remarkable. I think that’s a testament to his physical training, but he has great awareness and instincts as well as all of the other things that go with being a receiver.”

Bill Belichick has words of praise for Larry Fitzgerald

Belichick is not someone who talks a lot. However, he has nothing but words of praise for Fitzgerald. He appreciates his performance on the field, and wanted him to know that.

Fitzgerald’s performance has seen a decline. This doesn’t change the fact that he pays great attention to detail. He has been part of the NFL for 16 years and that sure means a thing.

The Patriots head coach praised Fitzgerald’s “tremendous hands, concentration, ability to make clutch plays and really match up against most every type of defender.”

Fitzgerald always finds a way to win with his skills and style. He is a brilliant player with an amazing career. Is Brady the Rice of quarterbacks?

New England plays the Cardinals on Sunday. The 37-year-old Fitzgerald is second all-time with 1,421 career receptions and 17,419 receiving yards and sixth with 120 receiving touchdowns. Fitzgerald has missed six games in his long career. He, Manning, Brady, and Belichick made the NFL 100 team.