NFL star Larry Fitzgerald will deliver remarks at a service for the late Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) in Phoenix on Thursday, calling it “one of the greatest honors of my life.”

Fitzgerald, who has spent his entire 14-year NFL career with the Arizona Cardinals, was personal friends with McCain, who died on Saturday at age 81.

“It’s truly one of the greatest honors of my life to be able to talk about somebody who served his country so passionately and had been so dedicated to policies of this nation,” Fitzgerald told ESPN. “So, I was really taken aback by it.”

{mosads}”It’s tough to be able to get everything you want to say,” he added. “How do you accurately be able to give somebody their due justice who served the United States for 60-plus years, I mean dedicated his entire life.”

McCain is scheduled to lie in state at the Arizona Capitol on Wednesday, and a memorial service will be held on Thursday at North Phoenix Baptist Church.

The Cardinals have a preseason game scheduled for Thursday, but Fitzgerald isn’t expected to play, ESPN reported.

Shortly after McCain’s death was announced on Saturday, Fitzgerald shared a photo on social media of a visit to the Capitol to see the senator. He praised McCain as “an American hero, statesman, servant of the people, and dear friend.”

Rest in peace to an American hero, statesman, servant of the people, and dear friend. Godspeed Senator McCain. My prayers for Cindy and the beautiful McCain family. pic.twitter.com/Tj87Hb8MtY

— Larry Fitzgerald (@LarryFitzgerald) August 26, 2018

Following services in Arizona, McCain will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol on Friday. A service will follow at the National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., and he will be buried at the U.S. Naval Academy on Sunday.