Pittsburgh Legend Motivates Steelers CB Peterson, Patrick
Pittsburgh — In honor of former Pitt Panther and Arizona Cardinal legend Larry Fitzgerald, who helped shape Patrick Peterson into the leader he is today, Peterson accepted The Chief Award in his first season as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
According to the team’s official website, the Steelers have given out The Chief Award to the team member who “best exemplifies the spirit of cooperation with the media that he embodied” each season since 1988.
After playing for Fitzgerald in Arizona for the first ten seasons of his career, Peterson, a 13-year NFL veteran, acknowledged that the receiver had provided a positive example for him and others on how to interact with the media and others.
“I had the great fortune to work with Larry Fitzgerald, a future Hall of Famer,” Peterson remarked. “I got the chance to watch him work every single day, not just in the locker room but also on the field as he dealt with the media. Not just with the press, but with everyone he comes into contact with. It was simply natural for me to kind of follow suit after observing for ten years that he is a guy who truly, truly enjoys being around people.
Fitzgerald won the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award in 2016 and continued to be involved in numerous charitable endeavors after retiring, demonstrating how far-reaching his legacy has been. Throughout his career as a player, he received recognition and admiration for his leadership qualities, and it is clear that he made a lasting impression on his teammates and those in his immediate vicinity.
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