Michael Irvin: "Cris Carter told my wife to leave me"

Michael Irvin took great exception when Cris Carter offered some advice for the Cleveland Browns in their handling of Cleveland receiver Josh Gordon. After Carter suggested the Browns cut Gordon for his own sake, Irvin took to the Dan Le Batard Show to vent his frustrations with the remark.

“People start thinking that you have insight on the situation or the issue or the problem so when you come out and make those kinds of comments and you’re not in his sessions with his professional help, you don’t know what’s going on in those sessions, then you’re being irresponsible.”

But Irvin didn’t stop there. Clearly keyed by the situation, Irvin got personal and shared a story previously held from the public eye that fit the idea of Carter perhaps impressing his own experience on others a bit too much.

“He said to my wife — he said to my wife –you know, Michael would never come out of this problem until you leave him. Till you leave him. For years, I’ve held it. I’ve never shared that with anybody. I’ve never in my life shared that with anybody. I was so irked with Cris because he was out of line then. His a$s is out of line now. He is out. of. line.”

When asked if Irvin ever confronted Carter about the remarks, Irvin gave an emphatic answer. “Nope. Never confronted him with it because I know, just because he spoke it doesn’t make it reality and it wasn’t going to be my reality in that situation.”

The entire interview is one large, beautiful behemoth of quotable piece after another. Irvin later emphasized that he’s trying to come from a more informed stance on the issue, talking to doctors and specialists who deal with those suffering from addiction, much like the ailments which seem to afflict Gordon.

“It may not happen when the NFL wants it to happen — it’s NOT about the NFL and it may not happen when the Cleveland Browns fans want it to happen and it’s NOT about them either. It’s about that kid.”

Credit Irvin at the very least for maintaining a stance and taking the side of Gordon, on which few people are standing right now.


(boxden.com)