Michael Irvin

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

Irvin played college football for the Miami Hurricanes and was selected in the first round of the 1988 NFL draft by the Cowboys. He played for the Cowboys from 1988 to 1999 before sustaining a cervical fracture of his spine in a game against the Philadelphia Eagles, in which he was carted off the field and transported to a Philadelphia hospital, forcing him to retire. Irvin was nicknamed 'the Playmaker' due to his penchant for making big plays in big games during his college and pro careers. Along with Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith, Irvin was one of three key Cowboys offensive players known as 'The Triplets', who led the Cowboys to three Super Bowl wins in 1992, 1993, and 1995.

In Their Own Story

On October 10, 1999, during the fifth game of the season at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Irvin's career reached a sudden and tragic halt. After being tackled by Eagles defensive back Tim Hauck, he was driven head-first into the turf, sustaining a cervical fracture of his spine. Carted off the field, he was transported to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, where doctors discovered he had been born with cervical spinal stenosis. They warned that another blow to the neck or head could result in paralysis. Consequently, Irvin announced his retirement in May 2000, becoming the last player coached by Tom Landry to retire from the NFL. Despite this abrupt end, his legacy as a physical receiver who manhandled cornerbacks remained intact. He set every significant career receiving mark in Cowboys history at the time of his departure, owning or tying 20 team records. His 1995 season stands out as his best, where he set franchise highs with 111 receptions and 1,603 yards while setting an NFL record with 11 games over 100 receiving yards.

Reader's Guide

Irvin is a former broadcaster for ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown and currently an analyst for NFL Network. In 2009, he competed in Season 9 of Dancing with the Stars and was the season's ninth contestant to be eliminated. He was one of the co-hosts of the FS1 weekday debate show Speak with Paul Pierce, Keyshawn Johnson, and Joy Taylor.

Did You Know?

• Irvin was born March 5, 1966, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and is the 15th of 17 children.
• He set Miami Hurricanes career records for receptions (143), receiving yards (2,423), and touchdown receptions (26).
• Irvin led the NFC in average yards per catch (20.4) as a rookie in 1988.
• He scored two touchdowns in 18 seconds in Super Bowl XXVII, the fastest pair of touchdowns by one player in Super Bowl history.
• Irvin set an NFL record in 1995 with 11 games of over 100 receiving yards.