Larry Fitzgerald Sr., father of Larry Fitzgerald Jr. and Minnesota journalist, dies at 71

Larry Fitzgerald Sr., the father of Pro Football Hall of Fame receiver Larry Fitzgerald Jr. and a longtime Minnesota journalist, has died, his family said on Monday.

Fitzgerald Sr. was 71. His other son, Marcus R. Fitzgerald, cited the Fitzgerald Family in a social media post that said he died peacefully on Monday afternoon, "surrounded by his family and the people who loved him most."

"We are so grateful for the incredible care and kindness shown by the team at the University of Minnesota Fairview Southdale Hospital during this time," Marcus Fitzgerald said in the post.

The Minnesota Vikings, in a written statement, said Fitzgerald Sr. was a "distinguished journalist and trusted voice in Minnesota sports."

"Beyond his reputation in the media, Larry was a dedicated father and a community leader who cared deeply about the Minneapolis-St. Paul area," the Vikings said.

Fitzgerald Sr. was a columnist at the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder, according to the media group's website, and a radio personality on the Minneapolis-based radio station KMOJ. 

According to the African American Registry, Fitzgerald Sr. started on the radio in Minnesota in 1978 and his broadcast credits include shows such as Higher Ground, Sports Beat, Inside the NFL and the Monday Night Football Show.

The cause of his death wasn't immediately known.