Who is Michael Irvin?
MICHAEL Irvin rose to prominence as a wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys.
Following his retirement from the NFL, the three-time Super Bowl champion became an analyst for ESPN's First Take.
Who is Michael Irvin?
Born on March 5, 1966, Michael Irvin is a sports broadcaster and retired professional football player.
The Dallas Cowboys alum played college football at the University of Miami and was selected in the first round of the 1988 NFL Draft by the above-mentioned team.
During his time with the Cowboys, Irvin helped the team secure three Super Bowl wins.
This era of his career earned him the nickname "The Playmaker."
He also became known as one of "The Triplets" along with players Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith.
On August 4, 2007, Irvin was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
"Since retiring I have developed a deeper awareness and understanding for this game. First as a fan and then as an analyst," he said during his ceremony speech.
"That is why I've learned it's so much more than merely a game."
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Irvin is also a former broadcaster for ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown and competed in season nine of Dancing With the Stars.
Why did Irvin retire?
On July 10, 2000, Irvin announced he was retiring from the league due to his sustained injuries from a game the year prior.
On October 10, 1999, he was tackled by Philadelphia Eagles defensive back Tim Hauck.
As a result of the play, Irvin suffered a non-life-threatening cervical spine injury and was carried off of the field to be treated.
He was later diagnosed with cervical spinal stenosis.
At a press conference, Irvin stated: "Walking away from the game is hard, but walking away is a blessing.
";I like to think of myself as a warrior. I wanted to be dragged off the field and I was.
"I've accomplished a great deal of things that I wanted to accomplish and at this juncture, there's no need to risk it and go on."
When did Irvin join ESPN's First Take?
On September 2, 2021, Irvin was revealed to be one of the analysts joining the revamped version of ESPN's First Take.
"I really appreciate how gifted the crew is and how hard they work," the Hall of Famer commented in a press release.
"My first Monday on First Take, the set was covered with white boxing ring ropes on all the walls throughout the studio.
"I thought it was beautifully designed and set the stage for what was about to transpire every Monday. ‘Put your dukes up!'"
Why was Irvin removed from the NFL's Super Bowl coverage?
On February 8, 2023, the NFL announced Irvin was ousted from covering the network's Super Bowl broadcast after an unidentified woman made accusations stemming from an alleged encounter over the weekend in Glendale, Arizona.
"Michael Irvin will not be a part of NFL Network’s Super Bowl LVII week coverage," the network's VP of Communications commented.
Irvin denied any misconduct occurred and told : "Honestly, I’m a bit baffled with it all. This all happened in a 45-second conversation in the lobby.
"When I got back after going out…I came into the lobby, and I talked to somebody. I talked to this girl. I didn’t know her and I talked to her for about 45 seconds.
"We shook hands. Then, I left.… That’s all I know. I don’t really recall that conversation, to tell you the truth.
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"We were out drinking, it was just a friendly conversation. I don’t even know, I am totally perplexed."
The athlete explained: "There was definitely nothing physical. That’s honestly all that happened. What law did I break? Nobody was in my room."