Tag: Michael Irvin

Hall of Fame WR on Amari Cooper: Opposite of Stefon Diggs’ personality

Hall of Fame WR on Amari Cooper: Opposite of Stefon Diggs’ personality

The Buffalo Bills traded for Cleveland Browns wide receiver Amari Cooper on Tuesday, and with that came some hot takes from the national media.

Fox Sports’ Michael Irvin had some words on the matter. More specifically, the Dallas Cowboys Hall of Famer compared Cooper to former Bills WR Stefon Diggs. And, he wasn’t comparing their play on the field. Everyone knows they can both play at a high level. He was comparing their personalities in the Bills’ locker room.

On the Cooper to Buffalo trade, Irvin said, “I think it’s interesting that this is such an antithesis when you talk about Stefon Diggs. Personality-wise, they are absolute opposites. This is a quiet guy who’s going to be in the locker room just playing chess with people. He literally plays chess. He’s not going to be loud. He’s not gonna cause any stir. When the game pressure is on the line… he’s not going to be like Stefon Diggs demanding that the man throw you the ball no matter what. That’s what is different. Right now, that’s good for Josh Allen to get that talent without that noise.”

These are quite the statements coming from Irvin given that he knows Cooper well due to their Cowboys connection. And, Irvin had Cooper’s back when the Cowboys traded him to the Browns in 2022.

Take a look at the full video segment from Fox Sports’ SPEAK show:

https://x.com/SpeakOnFS1/status/1846307063095611634

Bucs WR Mike Evans moves up all-time receiving yards ladder

As Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans continues his trek towards enshrinement at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

As Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans continues his trek towards enshrinement at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the 11-year veteran moved up the all-time receiving yards ladder in Thursday’s matchup.

Entering the divisional matchup, Evans sat in the 31st position with 11,894 yards, slightly behind Dallas Cowboys great -and Hall of Famer- Michael Irvin, who amassed 11,904 yards in his 12 years of service with the Cowboys. Baker Mayfield’s first pass attempt of the game was a completion to Evans for 15 yards, moving him into the Top 30 all-time.

Assuming Evans keeps his 1,000-yard streak intact this season, the Bucs WR will have at least 12,680 receiving yards in his career, surpassing DeAndre Hopkins for the 23rd most.

23. DeAndre Hopkins – 12,476

24. Brandon Marshall – 12,351

25. Antonio Brown – 12,291

26. Jimmy Smith – 12,287

27. Charlie Joiner – 12,146

28. Hines Ward – 12,083

29. Derrick Mason – 12,061

Oh, and Evans Is also closing in on being in exclusive company in receiving touchdowns. With two more of those, he will become just the 11th player in NFL history to record 100 or more.

LOOK: Motion graphic tracking Emmitt Smith, Dez Bryant, Michael Irvin ascend Cowboys all-time TD chart over time

An interesting look at the Cowboys’ all-time TD leaderboard.

There’s no NFL organization quite as great as the Dallas Cowboys… just ask Jerry Jones. Seriously though, over the years the Cowboys have had a remarkable run of top-shelf skill position players who have earned they way into the history books. The Cowboys have a whopping 30 players or coaches currently enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, OH and many of them are there for their ability to get the ball in the end zone.

Related, the club’s 64-year history has seen a steady stream of players move in and out of the franchise’s all-time touchdown leaderboard over the years. There are quite a few outlets where one can look through those names, but why limit the fun? Content creator Greg Harvey (@BetweenTheNums on Twitter/X) has produced a motion graphic showing the fluidity of the team’s leaderboard over the years.

From Frank Clarke to Bob Hayes to Tony Dorsett to Emmitt Smith, with Michael Irvin and Dez Bryant getting their time near the top… it’s a laundry list of who’s who among pass catchers and running backs in the organization. Check it out below.

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Michael Irvin reveals conversation with Chiefs TE Travis Kelce about pursuing a three-peat

Michael Irvin reveals conversation with Kansas City #Chiefs TE Travis Kelce about pursuing a three-peat | @EdEastonJr

The Kansas City Chiefs’ journey to a possible three-peat will be discussed before every game this season. Outside of fans and the media, players have voiced their hopes of winning an unprecedented third consecutive title.

Pro Football Hall of Famer Michael Irvin appeared as a guest on ‘The Jim Rome Show’ on X to reveal his conversation with Chiefs star Travis Kelce at a recent Dallas Mavericks game.

“Travis Kelce spent some time with him, and he said to me, he grabbed me; hooked me real tight. And he said, Michael, tell me about that three-peat chase. Because, you know, we went through that, we tried that. We went for the three-peat, and we lost our coach. We changed in the midst of going for that three-peat.” said Irvin. “I told him every day, man, every day when I hit put head to pillow at night. Think about that one that got away. I think about the 1994 championship game.”

Irvin was a member of three Super Championship teams with the Dallas Cowboys but came up short in his three-peat bid, losing to the San Francisco 49ers in the 1994 NFC Championship game.

“I said, do all you can to make that happen, and don’t leave anything on the table. Because I’m telling you, if you leave anything on the table and don’t get it, you will think about it for the rest of your life, like I do,” said Irvin. “Man, that’s what I need (Said Kelce). So, I’m telling you, do everything.”

Irvin believes the Chiefs are favorites to achieve the three-peat because of Kelce’s curiosity. He also credited the winning culture with leading to the team’s string of success.

Report: Cowboys legend Michael Irvin shares heartbreaking family news amid difficult year

From @ToddBrock24f7: The Hall of Fame WR has revealed that his wife of 34 years has been living with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.

Michael Irvin has revealed to fans that his wife of 34 years is suffering from early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.

The Hall of Fame wide receiver and Cowboys Ring of Honor member made the announcement Monday night at his new sports bar, Playmakers88, located in The Colony, just outside Dallas.

According to Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the 58-year-old Irvin told patrons during a soft opening of the restaurant that his wife Sandy has been dealing with the disease for “five or six years.” She now has trouble walking and speaking. Irvin has reportedly brought in a round-the-clock live-in caretaker to assist but will not entertain the notion of moving her to a care facility.

“If anyone has earned the right to stay in her house, MY WIFE HAS!!!,” Irvin told the Star-Telegram via text message. “That I shall honor. No matter what it takes.”

The news is the latest chapter in what has been a tumultuous 16 months for the three-time Super Bowl champion.

In February 2023, Irvin was jettisoned from NFL Network’s coverage of Super Bowl LVII after an employee at a Phoenix hotel accused him of lewd behavior. Irvin, in turn, filed his own defamation lawsuit against the Marriott hotel chain. After several months of legal wrangling, Irvin reached a settlement and returned to the airwaves just hours before the start of the 2023 regular season.

Then in January 2024, Irvin was reportedly under criminal investigation by police in Allen, Tex. for allegations that were not made public. That matter was dropped a few months later, the case closed by authorities.

But in the interim, Irvin’s contract with NFL Network was not renewed, the channel cutting him loose last month after 15 years amid major shakeups and cost-cutting maneuvers.

Recently, Irvin had poured himself into the opening of Playmakers88, the sports bar immortalizing the nickname and jersey number by which he was known during his 12-year career, all of it spent as a Cowboy.

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In fact, it was the emotions of opening the restaurant that prompted him to tell patrons about his wife Monday night. One of his chefs had previously worked at another restaurant Irvin was involved in, and Sandy would frequently request the chicken wings he would prepare. When that restaurant closed, the idea for Playmakers88 took off, and Irvin hired the chef and other crewmembers to follow him.

“The Bible says, ‘If you suffer with me, you shall reign with me,'” Irvin said, per Hill. “Those guys were with me in the hard times. Let me step [in] and try to reciprocate that kind of relationship.”

Sadly, more hard times are on the horizon for Irvin. He and Sandy, also 58, met while at the University of Miami and were married in 1990, after his second season in the NFL. They will celebrate their 34th anniversary later in June.

Nearly seven million Americans 65 or older have Alzheimer’s disease. Early-onset Alzheimer’s is much rarer, affecting approximately 0.11% of adults between ages 30 and 64. People with early-onset Alzheimer’s live for an average of eight years after symptoms appear, according to Johns Hokpins, but some live as long as 20 years with the disease.

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Ranking top former Cowboys in their media careers

There’s a storied tradition that is part of the lore of playing a chunk of one’s career in a Dallas Cowboys uniform. The popularity the brand affords stars is evident in how well they often do in gaining media opportunities as retired personalities. …

There’s a storied tradition that is part of the lore of playing a chunk of one’s career in a Dallas Cowboys uniform. The popularity the brand affords stars is evident in how well they often do in gaining media opportunities as retired personalities. It doesn’t always work out for the best, see Emmitt Smith and Jason Witten’s short stints in front of the cameras, but after the extra endorsement offers die down, there’s a clear path to remaining relevant in the media world.

There are several who have proven very good at the job of explaining football to the masses. In various roles across multiple outlets, former Cowboys bring live game analysis, review and preview editorials, and function as another arm of the entermainment complex known as the NFL. Here are our 2024 rankings of those media members who formerly wore the star.


Marcus Spears (ESPN)

Ditka had been a staple on ESPN for a while, after first appearing on NBC Sports and CBS Sports following his retirement from coaching. The former Cowboys tight end had an illustrious career in all phases, but not rarely makes on-screen appearances.

Johnson had been a staple on ESPN for years, dating back to 2007 as an on-air analyst and radio show host. That relationship ended in 2023 and he since joined Skip Bayless as a Stephen A. Smith replacement on Undisputed.

The former Cowboys head coach eased right into a gig with NBC. He serves as both a studio analyst for pre and post-game histrionics, while also getting in the booth for college football and the other professional leagues that have appeared on the network.

Baldinger was a reserve lineman for the Cowboys the first five seasons of his career. He’s been on NFL Network since the middle of last decade but he ranks highly on this list for his use of social media. Baldinger’s tweets, each week, highlight a handful of standout performances from the slate of games. The way he breaks down technique and skill into digestible nuggets for the viewing public make him one of the top followers among NFL media.

If a Cowboys fan is interested in having a completely biased supporter of the organization to balance the litany of talking heads that hate the team, Michael Irvin has been their guy. The Hall of Famer makes no apologies for his level of Dallas love and brings it on air on a regular basis. Irving was recently let go of his NFL Network gig as the league-owned media company has purged a ton of their on-air talent. Now Irvin can be found as a rotational guest on FS1.

The Moose was surprisingly good in the booth off top, but he’s appeared to hit a ceiling of sorts. He was never on the top team, but he has always been solid and gotten most of the Cowboys’ early game assignments when they rarely kickoff at noon central time. Johnston has likely been bumped down to at least Team No. 3 with the arrival of Tom Brady bumping Greg Olsen.

After the first two years of his career, Romo seemed on the trajectory to be the next John Madden. Going from the field to the booth, Romo’s ascension to a mastermind in the pocket clearly translated to the microphone game. His ability to dissect plays based on formation and defense and knowing the checks the QB would make were elite cinema for the viewing audience.

It was groundbreaking and deserved all of the accolades.

Since though, Romo’s seemingly slipped in his preparation and has been heard missing what has actually happened on the play. He’s still very entertaining but some of the shine is gone.

Aikman joined the FOX booth all the way back in 2002, pairing with Joe Buck and Chris Collinsworth. He and Buck have been joined at the hip, and when their contracts were up they moved over to ESPN together to host Monday Night Football. AIkman had been the gold standard for color commentary until Romo’s arrival, and in all honesty has regained the throne in the past couple of seasons.

He’s often accused of both being too hard on the Cowboys and too soft on them, meaning he’s probably doing a great job when both sides are mad at you.

Shocked? Shouldn’t be. The former Dallas first round pick immediately moved to the broadcast game following his retirement in 2013. First on the SEC Nation and then the SEC Network, Big Swaggu made his way to the main ESPN stage starting in 2014 and has been prominently featured since around 2017.

While he’s not in the broadcast booth, Spears is an analyst for several of ESPN’s shows and is most known for providing quality, knowledgable, entertaining takes without devolving into sensationalistic muck that is often connected with the four-letter network’s productions. His work along with that of Ryan Clark and Mina Kimes are proof that ESPN can still provide top-tier analysis despite the network’s addiction to giving the lowest-common denominator fans what they crave; drama without substance.

Cowboys great Michael Irvin out at NFL Network

From @ToddBrock24f7: The Cowboys legend will not have his contract renewed after being on NFL Network’s air since 2009.

“The Playmaker” has been benched at NFL Network.

Former Cowboys wide receiver Michael Irvin, who had been a fixture on GameDay Morning and with NFL Network since 2009, will not have his contract renewed, as first reported by the New York Post on Friday. The move is part of widespread changes at the network that have been going on for some time. Total Access, one of the network’s flagship shows, is also coming to an end, ending a run that began in 2003.

Irvin, 58, was taken off the air during Super Bowl Week coverage in 2023 after allegations of lewd behavior with a female employee of a Phoenix-area hotel. The Hall of Famer denied any wrongdoing in the case and filed his own defamation suit against the Marriott chain. After several months of legal wrangling behind the scenes, Irvin reached a settlement and returned to the network’s airwaves just in time for the start of the 2023 regular season.

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NFL Network has undergone several rounds of budget cuts and employee dismissals in recent months, with ESPN apparently in talks to take on an equity stake in the network. Good Morning Football recently shuttered its New Jersey studio and announced both a hiatus and a move to Los Angeles. Multiple high-profile personalities had also previously been let go, including Andrew Siciliano, Melissa Stark, and James Palmer.

“As is normal course of business this time of year, we are evaluating our talent roster for the upcoming 2024 season and beyond,” the network’s vice president of communications Alex Riethmiller told The Athletic. “That process results in renewals, non-renewals, and additions to our talent lineup depending on programming needs. To those departing talent, we give our sincere thanks and appreciation for their hard work and contributions to NFL Media.”

Irvin previously worked for ESPN and is currently still an employee at FS1. Irvin won three Super Bowls as part of the Dallas dynasty teams of the 1990s, is a member of the Cowboys’ Ring of Honor, and is still very active with the organization.

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Michael Irvin and NFL Total Access are reportedly out at the NFL Network as cuts continue

The Hall of Famer and a longtime NFL Network staple are out.

After four big names including Melissa Stark and Andrew Siciliano were let go, the cuts and changes at the NFL Network (which include Good Morning Football moving to Los Angeles) are reportedly continuing.

Per Andrew Marchand at The Athletic: “Michael Irvin is out at NFL Network, while one of the network’s original signature shows — “NFL Total Access” — is done after more than two decades on the air.”

Marchand added that Irvin “has been on rocky ground” after he was accused by a woman of improper conduct at a Marriott property in Phoenix. A defamation lawsuit with the woman and Marriott was settled, and Irvin’s indefinite suspension was lifted in 2023.

Skip Bayless on Commanders’ hire: ‘I don’t fear Dan Quinn’

Bayless and Michael Irvin say they don’t fear Dan Quinn. That’s probably good news for Washington.

Skip Bayless and Michael Irvin are not worried about Dan Quinn in Washington.

Friday on “Undisputed.” along with Keyshawn Johnson, Bayless did not offer much praise for the hire. He did begin praising the new ownership, “Right now in Washington, I fear Josh Harris because he’s a much smarter and better owner than the previous. That’s not hard to be, but it just is.”

But Bayless sang differently regarding Dan Quinn. “I don’t fear Dan Quinn, and I am amused by the fact that both Philly and Washington have now made recent hires that are Dallas-driven hires. Trust me on this, those two franchises live to beat the Dallas Cowboys. By the way, we are the defending champions in the division.”

“I respect Dan Quinn’s charisma…he is easy to be around, he’s inspirational, pulls his cap around backward, is fiery, a good motivational speaker, as opposed to our current head coach (Mike McCarthy).”

Bayless credited the Seahawks’ talent for why Quinn became the Falcons head coach. Then added he believed it was because of Kyle Shanahan that Atlanta won the NFC, and not Quinn. He pointed to Tom Brady passing for 246 yards after being down 28-3 as the Patriots stormed back, defeating Quinn’s Falcons in that Super Bowl.

Irvin had earlier stated he was “not worried about Dan coaching the Washington Commanders…everybody can run on Dan’s defense, so we are ok with that.”

Johnson countered, “He has been successful in the NFL both as an assistant and as a head coach. I understand you (Irvin) want to pound your chest and say you are not worried about that… but he is a coach that has done this before.”

Irvin then claimed he had the opportunity to leave Dallas as a free agent to join Norv Turner’s Redskins, but he never took the opportunity. Irvin stated he was so close to leaving Dallas for Washington. Perhaps Charley Casserly, then Washington’s general manager, could confirm or deny whether that was the actual case?

Bayless concluded that he does give it to the Commanders because they did not hire a man “that is completely unproven. He is proven to some degree, and yet I don’t think Michael nor I are all that intimidated by this hire.”

Michael Irvin was so angry in video response to the Cowboys’ embarrassing playoff loss to Packers

Michael Irvin hit a new level of disappointment in the Cowboys.

Michael Irvin is never shy about making his feelings known, especially when it comes to his beloved Dallas Cowboys. But even his response to their embarrassing playoff loss Sunday was a bit out of character.

After a season with so much promise ended in the most disappointing way possible, in a beat down at home to the upstart Green Bay Packers, Irvin recorded his passionate response to the loss and it was a slow build of emotion that peaked into real anger.

And that’s when he concluded everyone on the team has “got to go.”

Irvin actually cut this short from a longer version and thank goodness. I’m afraid to see what else he had to say about the team.