Why Is Larry Fitzgerald at the Notre Dame Game? He's There to Watch His Son Play

Larry Fitzgerald is one of the greatest wide receivers in NFL history. But on Sunday night at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin, he was not there as a football legend — he was there as a proud dad. His son, Devin Fitzgerald, is a freshman wide receiver for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and Sunday's game against Wisconsin was Devin's first college game.

Before the game, Fitzgerald was spotted on the field talking with comedian Shane Gillis, who is a big Notre Dame fan. Fitzgerald looked relaxed as he got ready to watch his son take the field for the first time as a college player. It was a very different reason to visit Lambeau Field than his two trips there during his NFL career with the Arizona Cardinals.

Devin Fitzgerald is a highly rated young player. He was considered a four-star recruit and was ranked as the 43rd-best wide receiver in the 2026 recruiting class by 247Sports. Devin chose Notre Dame partly because he has known Notre Dame wide receiver coach Mike Brown since he was just five years old. "I've known Coach Brown since I was 5 years old. He's shown me that I can come in, step up and play early. That's their plan with me," Devin told ESPN.

Notre Dame is a strong team this season. The Fighting Irish are ranked No. 5 in the country and are led by quarterback CJ Carr, who many experts think could win the Heisman Trophy. Last season, Notre Dame made it all the way to the College Football Playoff national championship game, where they faced Ohio State. The team is hoping to return to that level of success this year.

Larry Fitzgerald had an amazing college career of his own before making it to the NFL. He played at the University of Pittsburgh, where he made a huge impact right away as a freshman with over 1,000 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. In his second year, he caught 92 passes for 1,672 yards and 22 touchdowns, which earned him the Biletnikoff Award as the best receiver in college football. He finished his college career with 2,677 yards and a school-record 34 touchdowns in just 26 games.

Now, Fitzgerald watches from the stands as his son tries to build his own football story. Devin is following in his father's footsteps as a wide receiver, and the Notre Dame coaches clearly believe in him. With a famous last name and a strong recruiting ranking, Devin Fitzgerald will have plenty of eyes on him all season long.