Peyton paired with Fitz would be legendary

If you’re a fan of pro football, how can you not root for Peyton Manning to sign with the Arizona Cardinals?

The prospect of Manning throwing to Larry Fitzgerald is delicious. Simply put, Manning-to-Fitzgerald has the potential to be the best passing tandem in NFL history.

Think about it. Manning had some outstanding seasons with Marvin Harrison, but who would you rather have in his prime, Harrison or Fitzgerald? Harrison is in the mix with a slew of potential Hall of Fame candidate receivers; Fitzgerald is above those guys. If Manning is healthy and can return to form, the connection with Fitzgerald would be unstoppable.

We already know the likes of Dan Marino, John Elway and Brett Favre never had a receiver as dynamic as Fitzgerald in their arsenals. Jim Kelly had Andre Reed, but he’s a notch below Fitzgerald.

The last time a future Hall of Fame QB and a future Hall of Fame WR teamed up? Well, that would be Fitzgerald and Kurt Warner, who was Arizona’s full-time starter from 2007-09. Here are Fitzgerald’s numbers for those three seasons:

293 receptions, 3,932 yards, 35 touchdowns

And that doesn’t include the record-shattering postseason numbers he notched during the Cardinals’ 2008 run to the Super Bowl.

And, oh yeah, there was another future Hall of Fame tandem in 2007, and their numbers speak for themselves. In 2007, Tom Brady passed for 4,807 yards and 50 touchdowns, with Randy Moss accounting for 1,493 yards and 23 touchdowns. The touchdown totals for both are single-season NFL records.

As far as players already enshrined in Canton, there are 10 modern-era QB/WR combinations in the Hall of Fame. As you go down this list, consider which of these dynamic duos would be more frightening to opposing defenses than Manning/Fitzgerald. Maybe one or two:

• Johnny Unitas and Raymond Berry
• Joe Namath and Don Maynard
• Bob Griese and Paul Warfield
• Terry Bradshaw and Lynn Swann
• Terry Bradshaw and John Stallworth
• Dan Fouts and Charlie Joiner
• Joe Montana and Jerry Rice
• Steve Young and Jerry Rice
• Troy Aikman and Michael Irvin 

Fitzgerald caught 80 passes for 1,411 yards and eight touchdowns last season – with Kevin Kolb and John Skelton throwing him the football.

Of course, a healthy Manning will make any receiver look good wherever he goes. If he goes to Miami and Brandon Marshall remains focused, that pairing could be monstrous. If he goes to Denver, maybe Demaryius Thomas becomes a Pro Bowl receiver.

But if Peyton Manning goes to Arizona and is ready to play, then he and Larry Fitzgerald will be electric. All season long. It will be must-see football, and long-suffering Cardinals fans won’t be the only ones enjoying the show.

 Come on, Peyton. This needs to happen.