As a player in the 1990s and now as an analyst, Michael Irvin has always worn his emotions on his sleeve. But the fiery Hall of Famer who won three Super Bowls in Dallas wishes this current crop of Cowboys were a little more outwardly expressive, especially when it comes to losing.
The 56-year-old ex-wide receiver was inducted into the Texas Black Sports Hall of Fame over the weekend. And following the trade of Amari Cooper, the departure of La’el Collins, and the last-minute contract misunderstanding that caused Randy Gregory to walk, the Cowboys legend says he believes that his former club has taken a step backward so far this offseason.
“They have lost talent. They are not a better team talent-wise,” Irvin said, per Clarence Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “This game doesn’t require skill. It requires will. If a team loses a little bit of skill but gains greater will, they can still do great things.”
It’s that greater will that Irvin wants to see in 2022, in hopes that this season’s roster can go farther than a home loss to the 49ers in the first round of the playoffs.
“If the Cowboys can take the disappointment of that defeat against San Francisco, beating you at home,” Irvin explained, “if they can take that and internalize it in the offseason and come with less skill and more will and have a better season.”
But what Irvin- and most Cowboys fans- saw from their team in the immediate wake of the 23-17 wild-card loss was finger-pointing, blaming officials after a risky play call allowed time to expire with the Cowboys offense sitting just 24 yards away from the end zone.
“When you lack skill, you have to overcome it with will and togetherness. A man’s greatest promise comes from their greatest pain. If they felt the pain like we felt and like those fans,” Irvin said, “I want to see them jokers on the field cry like that. I want it to hurt them like that.”
And not just hurt. Hurt for everyone to see.
The way it would have for him.
“But I haven’t seen that. I hope they cry like karate men, on the inside. But I haven’t seen it outside.”