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"The Playmaker" Neck injury forces Cowboys' Irvin into retirement
Posted: Wednesday July 12, 2000 08:16 AM
IRVING, Texas (AP) -- Michael Irvin lined up on Troy Aikman's left, ran his trademark slant to the middle of the field and cradled the pass between the 8s on his blue Dallas Cowboys jersey. The 8-yard gain late in the first quarter of an Oct. 10 game in Philadelphia was cause for celebration. It was the 750th catch of Irvin's career, tying him with Charlie Joiner for 10th in NFL history. But Irvin wasn't moving. He couldn't. Temporarily paralyzed by a herniated disc, Irvin later learned he was lucky to get off that easy. Tests showed that he was born with a narrow spinal cord, a condition that made him vulnerable to much more serious injury. He faced that risk every time he'd stepped on a football field and never knew it. Now that he does, Irvin isn't taking any chances. After delaying his decision about as long as he could, "The Playmaker" announced his retirement Tuesday in a news conference at Texas Stadium.
Irvin has been uncharacteristically quiet since his injury. He's avoided reporters, stopped working out at team headquarters and hardly spoken to his closest friends on the team. The somber exit isn't the way most will remember Irvin, who during 12 seasons established himself as one of the top receivers and one of the biggest showboats the NFL has ever seen. As much as his pass catching helped the Cowboys return to glory in the 1990s, it was his swagger that truly sparked the revival of "America's Team." Dallas fans loved seeing No. 88 motion for a first down after a catch, while his gyrations gave Cowboys haters another reason to grind their teeth. Yet no matter whether you rooted for or against him, he was hard to ignore. Irvin's flashy style overshadowed a leadership that also was vital in pulling the team from a 1-15 in 1989 to Super Bowl champions three years later. Dallas went on to win titles after two of the next three years, too. Of course, it helped greatly that Dallas surrounded Irvin, its top pick in 1988, with Aikman in '89 and Emmitt Smith in '90. Together, the threesome became known as the "triplets" and were as devastating as any quarterback-running back-receiver trio in NFL history.
Irvin, who beat defenders to the ball using smarts and size, finishes with 11,904 yards, ninth in NFL history. He holds nearly every major career or single-season Cowboys receiving record. For all his on-field accomplishments, Irvin also will be remembered for some serious off-field problems. In 1996, Irvin was arrested in a motel-room drug bust in the wee hours of his 30th birthday. When his case went to trial, he arrived at court one day in a mink coat and sunglasses, then autographed a security guard's Bible. Then the trial was briefly delayed when a Dallas police officer was arrested for allegedly hiring a hit man to kill Irvin. The receiver ended up pleading no contest to a felony drug charge. He received 800 hours of community service and four years of probation, which was lifted Thursday, 10 days early.
Irvin also was suspended by the NFL for five games. His image and the team's were seriously tarnished and he lost most of his endorsement deals. Controversy continued to dog Irvin. He was falsely accused of sexual assault in December 1996 and in training camp 1998 he cut the neck of a teammate during a scuffle over a haircut. Despite his off-field problems, Irvin's statistics and championships make him likely to be one day inducted into the Hall of Fame. As a favorite of Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, he's practically a lock to eventually be added to the team's Ring of Honor. Irvin's departure comes about six weeks after his good pal Deion Sanders left for Washington. Regardless of how their absence impacts the team, one thing is certain. It sure will be quiet in Dallas without them.
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