Cardinals' Fitzgerald recovers from scary bout of COVID-19
Another big, strong NFL star is thanking his lucky stars after surviving a bout with COVID-19.
A week after Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett said the virus “kicked my butt,” Arizona Cardinals receiver Larry Fitzgerald admitted he revised his will while thinking about worst-case scenarios during a 13-day quarantine from which he recently emerged.
The 37-year old Fitzgerald, who is second on the all-time receiving yards list behind Jerry Rice, was put on the reserve/ COVID-19 list on Nov. 26, which was American Thanksgiving, and he started feeling symptoms two days later.
He came off the list Tuesday. The “scariest part,” Fitzgerald said, is that “nobody can really give you any answers.”
“You learn new information every single day, you feel symptoms and you ask, and nobody can really tell you `it's going to be better' or `this is how long it would usually last,'” he continued. “So your mind kind of wanders, and you're sitting at home, and you're watching TV and you see the cases and you see the deaths across the nation, and all these things are running through your mind, and obviously you worry. But fortunately, I was able to get through it and feel much better.”
Fitzgerald, who lost nine pounds during the ordeal, isn't sure if he'll play in Sunday's game against the New York Giants.
If he does, his snap count will be limited. Not once during his time in isolation did Fitzgerald ponder retirement.
“It was more so the immediate future, like, you know, staying alive and things of that nature,” he said.
“Football, and how long I play football, didn't really cross my mind. Those kind of things really put life in perspective, and you really appreciate the things that you do have in life.”
Breaking huddle: Poised to clinch their third post-season berth in the last four seasons, the Buffalo Bills have rewarded GM Brandon Beane with a multi-year extension. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, the deal will keep him in Buffalo through the 2025 season, which means it expires the same year as coach Sean McDermott's does … The Pittsburgh Steelers have lost another inside linebacker heading into Sunday's tilt with the Bills. Already expected to miss Robert Spillane (knee), who was replacing Devin Bush (knee), they are now also expected to be without Vince Williams, who was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list Thursday. Williams should be in isolation for at least 10 days if he had a positive result and at least five days if he is a “high risk” close contact. Coach Mike Tomlin is left to fill for Spillane and Williams with Avery Williamson, who was acquired from the New York Jets just before the trade deadline, and Marcus Allen, a safety-turned inside linebacker. Expect the Bills to try to exploit what should be a Pittsburgh weakness over and up the middle … Note to fantasy-league players heading into their playoff weekends — Carolina Panthers coach Matt Rhule would suggest you choose an option other than Christian McCaffrey. “I do not expect him to play (Sunday against Denver), but I'll continue to monitor it,” Rhule said. The most dangerous dual threat in football, McCaffrey was on target to return this week from a shoulder injury when he pulled a quad while working out. Mike Davis will get the bulk of Carolina's ground workload instead.