Michael Irvin retired from NFL Network following allegations of misconduct
NFL Network pulled former Dallas Cowboys and Hall-of-Fame wide receiver Michael Irvin from its Super Bowl coverage this week after allegations of misconduct were made at a hotel Sunday night, the network said.
“Michael Irvin will not be a part of NFL Network’s Super Bowl LVII weekly coverage,” Alex Riethmiller, NFL Media’s vice president of communications, said in a statement to the Dallas Morning News.
Neither the plaintiff — a woman — nor NFL Media went into detail about the nature of the allegations. However, Irvin told the Morning News that he recalled no problems meeting the woman, only that they shook hands and spoke for less than a minute in the hotel lobby.
“To be honest, I’m a little confused by all of this,” Irvin told the Morning News. “It all happened in a 45-second conversation in the lobby. When I came back after going out…I walked into the lobby and spoke to someone. I spoke to this girl. I don’t know her and spoke to her for about 45 seconds. We shook hands. Then I left. … That is everything I know.
“I don’t really remember that conversation, to tell you the truth. we were drinking It was just a friendly conversation. ‘What works?’ I do not even know. … I’m totally perplexed.”
Irvin has been an analyst for the network since 2009 and covered opening night of the Super Bowl on Monday. There he is said to have been told about his conversation with the woman. Irvin later told “Shan & RJ” on 105.3 the Fan in Dallas that he was told he had to change hotels after the interaction, but still doesn’t know what happened.
“When I got to the hotel, they asked what I was doing, and I was like, ‘I just went right in the room,'” Irvin said. “But I think I met someone in the lobby. Spoke to someone in the lobby for about a minute and then I went to my room. And when I got up there they said they had to take me to the hotel. I said: ‘What for?’
“They said, ‘Well, last night you came in and talked to someone.’ I said, “I haven’t spoken to anyone. I went straight into the room.’ And then they showed it on camera that I was talking to someone. I talked to this girl for about a minute. I don’t know what – they didn’t show me. You told me. I did not see it. But that’s why they moved me, because I think the girl said I said something to her the minute we spoke and that’s how they moved me.
At this time, no further updates on Irvin or the complaint against him have been released.
