The Twin Cities lost one of its most familiar sports voices on Monday when Larry Fitzgerald Sr., a fixture of local sports media and the father of Pro Football Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald, died at 71, his family said. Marcus R. Fitzgerald wrote that his father "died peacefully ... surrounded by his family and the people who loved him most." The family also thanked the team at M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital for their care. For decades, Fitzgerald was a go-to presence on KMOJ radio and a long-running columnist at the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder.
According to CBS Minnesota, Marcus shared the announcement on X and publicly expressed gratitude to hospital staff for their support. In a written statement reported by CBS, the Minnesota Vikings called Fitzgerald Sr. a "distinguished journalist and trusted voice in Minnesota sports" and described him as "a dedicated father and a community leader who cared deeply about the Minneapolis–St. Paul area." The report said the cause of death was not immediately known.
Career in the Twin Cities
If you followed sports in Minneapolis or St. Paul for any length of time, you probably heard Fitzgerald long before you ever saw his byline. He spent decades reporting on local teams and issues, filing columns and commentaries while also working as a radio personality on KMOJ. Larry Fitzgerald Sr.'s site notes that he started on the radio in 1978 and lists broadcast credits that include Higher Ground, Sports Beat, Inside the NFL and the Monday Night Football Show. Those roles helped make him one of the Twin Cities' most recognizable sports voices.
Community Work And Legacy
Fitzgerald was also known for his philanthropy. The Carol Fitzgerald Memorial Fund, created after the death of his wife Carol, has supported breast-cancer awareness, HIV research and urban education, according to the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder. Colleagues say he covered dozens of Super Bowls and stayed active mentoring younger reporters and working at community events throughout Minneapolis–Saint Paul.
The family did not release a cause of death, the CBS report said, and requested privacy as they make arrangements. Local teams, former colleagues and readers have begun sharing remembrances, and more details are expected as funeral plans are finalized.
