Michael Irvin Character Traits

Michael Irvin Off the Field

Michael Irvin is an NFL legend. He Played football in the NFL from the year 1988 – 1999 all on the Dallas Cowboys. He has 750 catches, 11,904 receiving yards, and 65 Touchdowns in his 12-year Hall of fame football Career (Pro Football Hall of Fame). In his childhood and in his life he showed off plenty of deviance. Whether it was snorting cocaine, having sexual relations with many woman, or simply breaking team curfew all of it was deviant. Before his career even started he was displaying off the field deviance. (thesis)

Early Childhood

Michael Irvin was born on March 5, 1966 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He had a big family growing up, “his father, Walter had two children from a previous marriage, his mother, Pearl,

While in high school he played football originally starting at “Piper High School until getting suspended his sophomore year for disciplinary reasons” (Biography.com) already displaying early signs of deviant behavior. His Father was extremely disappointed with his son but knew he had the talent to go places so his father transferred him from his public high school to a private high school called St. Thomas Aquinas High School; where he broke out as a football star. During his senior year of high school his father Walter died of cancer. When his father died it affected him immensely because Michael believed that his father died quicker because of his hardworking habits. “Irvin told those around him that he'd make sure nobody in his family would have to struggle again.” (Biography.com) Michael was recruited heavily coming out of high school because of his out of this world speed and his spectacular catching ability, so good that “he gave himself the nickname “The Playmaker”.” (Bethel, 2004). Michael committed to The University of Miami where he went on to play college

The Dallas Cowboys desperate for a new receiver they drafted him at the 11th overall pick in the 1988 NFL draft. “After signing his 1.8-million-dollar rookie contract he bought his mother a four-bedroom house with a pool in Fort Lauderdale and supplied her with the first credit card she had ever carried.” (Bethel, 2004). Staying true to his promise of never allowing his family to struggle again. In his second year in the NFL his coach from his rookie season was fired and the owner of the Dallas Cowboys Jerry Jones hired Michaels college Coach Jimmy Johnson as the new coach of the Dallas Cowboys, unfortunately Michael was unable to play for him that season because he had a season ending injury that season. 1991 was Irvin’s breakout season he had “93 catches, 1,523 yards, named the league MVP, and was voted to his first of five pro bowls” (Bethel, 2004). In his first pro bowl he showed more egomaniacal behavior while yelling at the other players on his team despite it being just an exhibition game. The 92’ and 93’ seasons were just as good as the 91’ season for Irvin but the seasons themselves were better for the Cowboys, both seasons resulting in becoming super bowl champions in back to back seasons. After winning his second super bowl, “owner Jerry Jones shocked the sports world by announcing the firing of Jimmy Johnson. Irvin, who was personally close to his coach, was livid and demanded to be traded. Yet in the end, he decided to remain committed to his