NFL

Michael Irvin sent home by NFL Network from Super Bowl after woman’s complaint

PHOENIX — Michael Irvin has been sent home from NFL Network’s Super Bowl LVII coverage after a woman at a hotel made an unspecified complaint. 

“Michael Irvin will not be part of the NFL Network’s Super Bowl 2023 week coverage,” NFL Network spokesman Alex Reithmiller said in a statement to The Post. 

Irvin, 56, told his side of the incident in an interview with “Shan & RJ” on 105.3 the Fan in Dallas on Wednesday morning. 

“Sunday night … when I came into the hotel, they asked what I did and I said, ‘I just went straight to the room,’ ” Irvin said. “But I guess I had met somebody in the lobby. Talked to somebody in the lobby for about a minute and then I went to my room. And then after I got up there, they said they had to move me in the hotel. I said, ‘Move me in the hotel for what?’ 

“So they moved my hotel, and I said, ‘What’s going on, guys? What’s happening? Why are we moving hotels?’ 

“They said, ‘Well, last night you walked in, you talked to somebody.’ I said, ‘I didn’t talk to anybody. I went straight to the room.’ And then they showed it on camera that I did talk to somebody. I talked to this girl for about a minute. I don’t know what — they didn’t show it to me. They told it to me. I didn’t see it. But that’s why they moved me, because I guess the girl said I said something to her within that minute that we talked, and so they moved me.” 

Michael Irvin during Super Bowl opening night on Feb. 6, 2023. USA TODAY Sports
Michael Irvin was pulled from NFL Network’s Super Bowl 2023 coverage. Getty Images for Harold & Carole

“That’s why I’m kind of hiding to wait and see how everything comes down,” Irvin continued. “It was a minute meeting somewhere in the lobby. I don’t even remember it really because I had a few drinks, to tell you the truth.” 

Irvin told the Dallas Morning News that there was no physical interaction with the woman beyond a handshake. 

During his playing and post-playing career, Irvin faced a number of allegations of misconduct. In 1996, Irvin and former Cowboys offensive lineman Erik Williams were accused of sexually assaulting a Cowboys cheerleader at gunpoint, under the influence of cocaine. It was later revealed that the accuser fabricated the story and she pleaded guilty to perjury and filing a false police report. 

Michael Irvin won three Super Bowls with the Cowboys. AP
Michael Irvin has been with NFL Network since 2009. AP

Also in 1996, Irvin was arrested in a hotel room that included topless dancers and cocaine. He pleaded no contest to cocaine possession charges and was suspended for the first five games of the 1996 season. He was also arrested for felony cocaine possession in 2001; the charges were later dropped. 

In 2007, Irvin was accused of sexual assault stemming from an incident at a casino in Florida. He did not face charges in the incident. He faced a civil suit, filed a counterclaim and the matter was ultimately settled out of court. 

In 2017, Irvin was accused of sexual assault. He denied the allegations and no charges were ultimately filed.