Fitzgerald ‘disappointed’ in brother’s tweet, says he and Warner are fine

Fitzgerald ‘disappointed’ in brother’s tweet

TEMPE, Ariz. — Larry Fitzgerald is not his little brother’s keeper.

He says he had nothing to do with Marcus Fitzgerald’s remark on Twitter critical of Kurt Warner after Arizona’s 31-17 win at Jacksonville on Sunday.

“Just because my last name happens to be the same as my brother, I’m getting in trouble,” Fitzgerald said with a smile in the Cardinals’ locker room after practice on Wednesday.

He joked that he’s told Warner that he has a new volunteer for the quarterback’s camp.

“He’s going to be taking out the garbage, whatever Kurt wants,” Fitzgerald said.

Marcus added a later tweet saying he was just joking the first time and that his brother had nothing to do with the original message, which also said that Larry was upset — using a stronger word — about not getting the ball enough.

“He’s young,” Larry Fitzgerald said of his brother. “Everybody makes mistakes. Unfortunately, I’ve got to take it on the chin, but I still love him.”

He said he has spoken to his brother, but he wouldn’t get into the details of the conversation.

“I just told him I was disappointed in him and that’s it,” Fitzgerald said. “You know, I love my brother. It’s as simple as that.”

Fitzgerald said when he was first told about his brother’s tweet on Sunday, “I kind of chuckled about it because anybody in here knows me and Kurt’s relationship and that’s never going to be affected by anything outlandish like that.”

The all-pro receiver, who broke NFL playoff records for yards receiving, catches and touchdown catches last season, has 10 receptions for 105 yards in the first two games. Against Jacksonville, he caught four for 34 yards, including a 22-yarder for a touchdown.

It’s hard to criticize Warner’s decision-making, though, since the quarterback set an NFL completion percentage record by connecting on 24 of 26 attempts.

“Teams are going to always throw their best shot at you every week and I think it’s important as a player to understand it’s a team game,” Fitzgerald said. “It’s about what’s best for the team. If I’m open, I know Kurt’s going to find me. If I’m not, he’s going to find somebody else who’s going to move the chains, and that’s what it’s all about.”

Fitzgerald recalled being on the sidelines as a ballboy with the Minnesota Vikings.

“I remember years ago watching Cris Carter and seeing him go with two or three catches but springing Robert Smith on a big screen play or clearing a route out for Randy Moss or doing something like that,” Fitzgerald said. “That’s about being a leader and being a team player.”

Fitzgerald is very careful about his image, and the last thing he wants is to be considered selfish.

So is he upset about not getting the ball more?

“I’m OK, honestly. I’m really not too concerned with it,” he said. “It’s really early in the season. We’re only in week three here. I’m going to get my opportunities. I know that. I’ve just got to make sure mentally, physically, psychologically I’m prepared when my opportunities come to go out there and play like I’m able to play.”

Warner just smiled when he was asked if he had talked to Fitzgerald about the Twitter criticism.

“I gave him a little grief on it,” Warner said. “He didn’t say anything about it. We just had a little fun about it. It’s obviously no big deal. As close as Larry and I are, I couldn’t let it go without jabbing him a little bit.”