Michael Irvin turned a routine Monday debate on ESPN’s First Take into a moment nobody in the studio could quite believe.
The former Cowboys star was reacting to Dallas’ 33-30 overtime loss to the Arizona Cardinals, a game that had looked under control before it slipped away. The Cowboys led 24-10 early in the fourth quarter, then watched Arizona rip off 20 straight points. It was the first time the NFC East team had ever lost at home after taking a 14-point lead into the fourth quarter.
Stephen A. Smith had already gone after head coach Brian Schottenheimer for calling himself a great coach and floated Rex Ryan as a possible answer.
“I promise you, with four days preparation, that man will do a better job,” Smith said. “I’d bet my check on it,” he added.
Irvin didn’t just agree - he went much further. “That’s an easy bet, Steve.
It’s a nice bet,” Irvin replied before arguing that almost anyone could coach the Cowboys better right now. “There is no worse that you can be,” he said.
“So anybody, anybody, my dead mom can coach them better.”
Even Stephen A. was caught off guard by the comment.
The reaction online came fast. One fan posted a clip and wrote, “Michael Irvin said his DEAD MAMA could coach the Dallas Cowboys better than their coach.
😭😭😭 WHY would he say that?! OMG 😩,” while Dov Kleiman added, “I can’t believe Michael Irvin said this 😭😭.”
For now, Jerry Jones is not making a coaching change this season, even as things continue to go sideways under Schottenheimer. The loss left Dallas at 3-5, and the Cowboys now head to the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday in a game they simply shouldn’t lose.
In Other News...
Cardinals QB Workout Suddenly Puts The Focus On A Bigger Move
The Cardinals spent part of the week taking a closer look at depth options, bringing in seven players for tryouts that included one quarterback, three running backs and three receivers. The group featured a mix of NFL experience, with names such as Ulysses Bentley, Jermar Jefferson, Elijah Tau-Tolliver, Joseph Manjack and Jamari Thrash among those getting a look as Arizona keeps working through roster churn.
The timing matters because the club is already dealing with injuries at receiver, and the quarterback workout adds another layer to what has been a busy stretch. Arizona has been active in scanning the market for help, and a routine tryout day suddenly feels more like part of a larger roster picture, one that could still shift before the dust settles. [Read more 🡒]
Cardinals Just Sent A Clear Message About Their Quarterback Plans
Arizonas quarterback room has been shifting for a while, and the latest move only sharpens the picture. Jacoby Brissett is on his way out, with Baltimore finalizing a trade to bring him in as it deals with injuries at the position. For the Cardinals, it is another sign that the pecking order has moved well beyond where Brissett stood when the season opened.
Brissett had already been pushed down to third string in Arizona, behind Gardner Minshew and Carson Beck, so the writing was on the wall even before the trade talks picked up. The deal is expected to be completed by the weekend, which means he will not be available for the Ravens Week 9 game, but it also leaves the Cardinals continuing to sort out what their quarterback depth chart looks like going forward. [Read more 🡒]
Bills Suddenly Have A Shot At A Defensive Star Arizona Hates To Lose
The trade deadline chatter around Arizona has started to turn from background noise into something more substantive, and Budda Baker is right in the middle of it. ESPNs Jeremy Fowler reported that the Cardinals safety is viewed around the league as a potential trade candidate, with teams such as the Buffalo Bills and Jacksonville Jaguars mentioned as possible suitors as clubs sort through their needs and Arizona weighs its own roster direction.
Baker is not the only name being floated, either, as the Cardinals contract situations and transition under center have put other veterans on the radar in recent days. Josh Sweat and Jacoby Brissett have also come up in the broader discussion, which is the kind of deadline buzz that can linger for a few days before it either hardens into action or fades away without a move. [Read more 🡒]