Josh Rosen had to get traded to win over Cardinals fans.

Rosen commendably stuck around in Arizona to play in Larry Fitzgerald’s charity softball game Saturday night, one day after he was traded to the Dolphins. It came after Arizona’s decision-makers kept Rosen in the dark regarding their decision to draft Kyler Murray until minutes before the pick was in Thursday night.

Rosen received a standing and loud ovation from the Phoenix-area faithful when he came to the plate for the Home Run Derby, which he would end up winning, along with the game’s MVP.

“I just want to say thank you to everybody,” Rosen said to the crowd, according to AZCentral.com. “We didn’t win as many games as I would have hoped, but I had a great time and an unbelievable year. Sad to see it up, but new chapters, new beginnings, and I’m excited for things to come. I’ll always be a Cardinal and root for you guys for as long as I’m on my feet.”

Rosen, 22, becomes one of the more interesting stories to follow in the NFL next season. He was the No. 10 pick in the prior year’s draft, but had an inconsistent rookie year that was plagued by attitude questions. Still, the Cardinals only getting a second-rounder, which turned into UMass receiver Andy Isabella, and a fifth-round pick next year seemed like a low return.

The Cardinals’ clear intention to draft Murray certainly did not help their leverage, and Sports Illustrated reported they did not start entertaining trade offers until minutes before the draft. This all combined to give Rosen a hero’s exit before heading to Miami, where he’ll compete with veteran Ryan Fitzpatrick for the starting job.

“I think that’s just a testament to who he is as a man,” Fitzgerald said. “He could have very easily gone down to Miami already, or just said, ‘Hey, I’m not gonna do it,’ but it shows you his commitment, his character, and just friendship. I’m very fortunate to call him a friend. Looking forward to seeing him do great things in Miami.”