I've said it before, and I'll say it one more time.... If Fitz had Montana/Young slinging him the ball, and played till he was almost ready for his AARP card... He would destroy Jerry's records.
Sans SB records... but then again... If he had a decade's worth of real NFL QB's.... Maybe even those.
Right on the mark SoCal Cardfan.
I said Fitz belongs in the discussion as GOAT at WR. I never said he was the GOAT.
Most people are overwhelmed by the numbers and longevity that Rice posted—also need to consider the players around him who were a big part of those stats. Just compare the QB position for both and it is one reason Fitz belongs in that discussion of GOAT. There is no comparison between the QB talent that Jerry Rice played with vs the QB talent that Fitz played with.
For Jerry Rice:
With SF from ‘85 to 2000:
‘85 to ‘90: Joe Montana
‘91 to ‘98: Steve Young
‘99 to ‘00: Garcia
With Oakland:
‘01 to mid 03: Gannon
mid ‘03 to mid ‘04: Mirer / Collins /Gannon
With Seattle:
mid ‘04 to retirement: Hassleback / Dilfer
Rice played with HOF and Pro-Bowl QBS for app. 18 years of his career. The only time he played with Cardinal-level Qbs was at the very end with Mirer/Collins. Gannon with Oakland was putting up the stats before he went out with injuries. Even Hassleback at the very end and Garica in the middle of his career were better than most of the QB Fitz played with.
Larry Fitz: Came into the league in 2004 as Rice was leaving to the present.
2004: Josh McCown / Shaun King / John Navarre
2005: KW (10 games) / Josh McCown
2006: M Leinart / KW (remember the split duty employed by Whiz)
2007: KW / M Leinart
2008: KW / M Leinart
2009: KW (with M Leinart on bench)
2010: Anderson / Skelton / M Hall
2011: Skelton / Kolb
2012: Skelton / Kolb / Lindley /Hoyer
2013: Palmer
2014: Stanton / Palmer / Lindley / Logan Thomas (Palmer injured in game 6)
2015: Palmer / Stanton in relief
2016: Palmer / Stanton
2017: Palmer (7 games) / Gabbert (5) / Stanton (4)
2018: No one to throw him the ball on roster as of 2/20/2018
Fitz has had Warner for two solid years and parts of others as Whiz shuffled Warner and ML into the lineup. Palmer for two years and parts of two others. What really hurts are the lost QB years for Fitz between 2010-2011-2012 when the Card FO could not find a QB to save their soul. Those were prime years for Fitz to rack up the numbers if he just had someone to get him the ball. Yet he still posted 1,000+ yards in 2010 (1137), in 2011 (1411). Check and see who was QB for those years. Fitz was the team player and made the shift to the ‘Hines Ward’ role at the insistence of BA—his stats suffered as a result as he took short passes and did a lot of blocking/banging into the line. Way too many games with Fitz getting a couple targets and BA's 'here-it-comes' quickie pass to the outside for two yards.
For his first 13 years in the league, Rice had Montana and Young as his QB. Scan the list for Fitz’s entire 14 year career and see the difference.
The surrounding team Rice and Fitz played with is even more startling. Just in his time with SF, Rice went to the playoffs 13 times and was on a SB winner 3 times. With Oakland, in the playoffs for two years and lost one SB. For much of his career, Fitz has been the offense without a supporting RB and the sole bright point on the Cards O — with playoffs and SB wins no where in sight.
So, Fitz belongs in the discussion of GOAT. He still has his eye on Rice’s numbers. Just get him a QB and watch him climb that mountain.
