Michael Irvin looking forward to mentoring Cowboys' Randy Gregory
Dallas Cowboys legendary receiver Michael Irvin battled a myriad of off-field issues en route to winning three Super Bowls, and feels he can use his experience to help Randy Gregory.
Gregory, the Cowboys' second-round pick, was considered almost certain to be selected within the first 10 picks of the 2015 NFL Draft before failing a test for marijuana at the scouting combine. The former Nebraska standout edge rusher descended all the way to the second round, where the Cowboys pounced with the 60th overall selection.
Irvin, now an analyst for NFL Network, offered his assistance to Gregory.
"I try to build relationships with all the guys and say I'm here as a resource. You want to give them some help," Irvin told Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. "I'm a firm believer that the game of football saves lives. It saved my life. There is no telling where these guys would end up."
Gregory recalled a pre-draft moment where Irvin chastised the former collegiate star for his indiscretion.
"It's funny, because he kind of went on a rant in front of the players and NFL legends and he called me out in front of everybody," Gregory said during the draft. "It was eye-opening, because I really didn't expect that. After everything, we talked and exchanged numbers.
"He wants us to come into the game and leave the game better than when we came into it. I'm glad he reached out to me and I’m glad he approached me the way he did."
The Hall of Fame receiver was an enigmatic talent for the Cowboys throughout the late 1980s and 1990s. Irvin was arrested for cocaine possession in 1996 and his hard-partying ways were documented in Jeff Pearlman's New York Times best seller "Boys Will Be Boys."
"Guys seem more comfortable talking to a guy who had situations himself," Irvin said. "There is no indictment from me. I had my problems. Randy knows I'm saying it from the right place. The kid has been sincere.
"But imagine what it is going to be like when you are on top again. You can be an inspiration for millions of kids who made mistakes. They can say 'Randy did it. I can too.'"
Irvin isn't the only former Cowboy star to be enamored with Gregory, with Hall of Fame elect Charles Haley raving about Gregory's talent.
Having Haley and Irvin in his corner may propel Gregory to stardom, and the Cowboys appear poised to make another playoff run.