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Larry Fitzgerald's heir apparent reportedly arrested before the draft

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The very best wide receivers in NFL history rarely stay with the same team throughout the duration of their careers.

Jerry Rice suited up for the Raiders and Seahawks after a prolific career with the 49ers. Terrell Owens torched bridges with the Eagles and Cowboys after leaving the 49ers. Randy Moss played for the Raiders and Patriots after lighting it up as a Viking. Torry Holt had brief stints with the Jaguars and Patriots after winning a Super Bowl with the Rams.

Larry Fitzgerald, however, has been a mainstay on the Arizona Cardinals since 2004 and seems poised to finish his career with the only team he’s ever played for.

It is a little mind-boggling to consider that Fitzgerald has been catching touchdown passes for the Cardinals across three different presidential administrations.

That’s no small feat, especially in the age of salary cap restrictions and free agency.

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And yet, Father Time is undefeated in sports. Unfortunately for the 34-year-old Fitzgerald, that means his career is far closer to the end than the beginning.

So how is a somewhat downtrodden franchise already strapped against the salary cap supposed to replace a future Hall of Fame receiver? Clearly, the NFL draft.

The Cardinals used their second-round, 47th overall pick on Texas A&M receiver Christian Kirk.

The team was clearly excited when it was time to call Kirk up and let him know that he would be the heir apparent to Fitzgerald.

Now, however, reports are surfacing that the Cardinals were aware of Kirk being arrested just months before the draft.

Do you think Kirk's arrest will affect the Cardinals plans for him in 2018?

According to The Arizona Republic, which cited local police, Kirk was arrested on Feb. 3 for throwing rocks and damaging cars outside of the Waste Management Phoenix Open.

“(Kirk and his friends) were extremely intoxicated,” Sgt. Ben Hoster of the Scottsdale police said, per KNXV. “They actually had a difficult time responding to questions.”

Kirk was ultimately charged with criminal damage and disorderly conduct.

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“(Kirk) tried to answer a question but could only mumble a few noises,” an on-scene officer reported. “I looked back at (another officer) and Kirk and noticed Kirk was clenching his right fist against his right front pocket. I walked toward him and noticed that he was clenching his fists, then stretching his forearms and fingers. He did these very pronounced movements three or four times as I approached.”

“Fearing an assault on (the other officer) was imminent, I approached from the rear of Kirk and applied handcuffs. His arms were tense and flexed as I applied the handcuffs. I then assisted Kirk to a seated position. I further noticed the grinding movement of his jaw and continued blank stare. These are common signs of an individual high on stimulants, such as cocaine.”

While Kirk is still just 21, it should be pointed out that Fitzgerald, whether when he was 21 or now, has generally avoided all situations like this.

“We spoke with Christian about it at length and also looked into it independently. Our understanding is that the process will be resolved in the near future,” the Cardinals said in a statement, according to ESPN.

Christian Kirk already had big shoes to fill. After this latest fracas came to light, his task just got that much taller.

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Bryan Chai has written news and sports for The Western Journal for more than five years and has produced more than 1,300 stories. He specializes in the NBA and NFL as well as politics.
Bryan Chai has written news and sports for The Western Journal for more than five years and has produced more than 1,300 stories. He specializes in the NBA and NFL as well as politics. He graduated with a BA in Creative Writing from the University of Arizona. He is an avid fan of sports, video games, politics and debate.
Birthplace
Hawaii
Education
Class of 2010 University of Arizona. BEAR DOWN.
Location
Phoenix, Arizona
Languages Spoken
English, Korean
Topics of Expertise
Sports, Entertainment, Science/Tech




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