Carpool Questions With Michael Irvin: America’s Team, NFL Dynasties, and More

NFL Hall of Famer Michael Irvin spoke to Hard Rock Bet and weighed in on some of the biggest debates in football, from whether the Dallas Cowboys are still “America’s Team” to the most disliked modern NFL dynasty.

The Cowboys legend shared his thoughts on the Chiefs vs. Patriots era, named the current NFL player with the most aura, and gave his verdict on the best wide receivers in the game.

Irvin also revealed his Cowboys and Miami Hurricanes Mount Rushmore picks and reflected on one of his most memorable Super Bowl moments, sneaking out to watch Michael Jackson’s iconic halftime show at Super Bowl XXVII.

America’s Team, NFL dynasties, and aura

We opened the conversation with a hard-hitting question: Are the Cowboys still America’s Team? Irvin’s trademark confidence and humor were on full display as he talked about his former team, modern NFL dynasties, and the player he believes carries the most aura in today’s NFL.

Are the Cowboys still America’s team, and if not, how do they get back?

Listen, first of all, I just told everybody how happy I am to be working with Hard Rock Bet, and you come in here with a Stephen A. like type of question right off the top of the bank, you know what I’m saying?

You can’t take what is not yours to take. You can’t give what is not yours to give. America’s team, the moniker belongs to the Cowboys; no matter what the people here in America want to say at any given time, you can’t take it.

So yes, absolutely. America’s team belongs to the Cowboys, just like the best in the business belongs to Hard Rock Bet. It commingles perfectly, so you can’t take that.

Which player in the NFL has the most aura?

In the last few years, who I think has the most aura is one of my favorite people in the NFL. I think most people are interested in him and rightfully so. It’s Travis Kelce, I mean, you know, he has everything. He has the quarterback, he has the touchdowns, he has the girl (laughs). Travis Kelce, he’s the one right there, and that’s my dude.

Which modern NFL dynasty do you hate the most? Chiefs vs. Patriots.

Well, the Chiefs are hard to dislike, you know. It’s the middle of America, it’s Patrick Mahomes. And Mahomes being what I call a Gomer Pyle killer, you know, oh, gosh, geez, just gonna slice you up a million ways, you know what I mean. So, it’s hard hating that dynasty I just talked about, Travis Kelce, Andy Reid, the greatest dude in the world.

It’s easier to hate the Patriots. And evidence of the Hall of Fame and everybody not letting Bill Belichick and Robert Kraft in, more people probably tend towards the dislike in that area for many reasons. I don’t have a problem with him. I love Bill Belichick; I love Tom Brady, but you know, some people just can’t stand watching that much winning, and they’re not doing it, you see.

So, so, yeah, I would have to say most of America would say they like the Chiefs dynasty over the Patriots dynasty, just because the people involved with the dynasty or what the Patriots did and to be back here again already is nothing short of a barrel.

The game’s top wide receivers, Mount Rushmores, and a crazy Super Bowl story

Michael Irvin continued to bring the fire with Hard Rock Bet, weighing in on the greatest wide receivers in the game and leaving no doubt where he places himself among today’s stars. He also revealed his Cowboys and Miami Hurricanes Mount Rushmore picks, naming the legends who defined each while acknowledging just how deep that greatness runs.

From a legendary Super Bowl story involving Michael Jackson’s halftime show to pitching his own over-the-top “BTA” energy drink idea, Irvin delivered a mix of football history, swagger, and unforgettable personality throughout the conversation.

Can you rank these wide receivers? Jamar Chase, Justin Jefferson, AJ Brown and Michael Irvin.

Jamar Chase, bad boy; Justin Jefferson, bad boy; AJ Brown, bad boy. And Michael Irvin? The baddest.

All of them have got phenomenal, phenomenal physical skill sets. AJ Brown is a gift from God. Look at him with your eyes. Time him with the clock. Either way, he looks like a God, runs like a God, and catches like a God.

Jamar Chase is the modern-day perfect player. You know he’s your running back; he’s a wide receiver. You can put him in the backfield. You can throw him all those smoke screens; he could take them to the house.

Justin Jefferson put in that West Coast system is unstoppable. You know, you see him. These guys are catching 100 passes every year like it’s nothing, but Michael Irvin won championships on every level. You understand, everywhere. Michael Irvin set his foot in the sand. He left a footprint of greatness. So, you do the math.

What is your Cowboys Mount Rushmore?

Well, you’re talking about all-time Cowboys. Now you, you can’t do this without… you said all-time Cowboys encompassing them all, so you gotta put Roger Staubach up there, you know. I believe there’s no doubt when you get Roger Staubach up there, you gotta throw Troy Aikman up there.

Honestly, Emmett’s the all-time leading rusher. You know, I would put Emmett up there, but Playmaker [Michael Irvin], he is right there, you know what I’m saying, but they’re my boys, they’re my boys, so, you know, I will leave those guys up on Mount Rushmore.

Emmett’s all-time leader, Roger The Dodger, was his name; Captain Comeback was his game, and certainly I call my quarterback the greatest timing-throwing quarterback in the history of the game, so I would put those guys up there with Playmaker just right there holding them up.

What is your Miami Hurricanes Mount Rushmore?

This one is more difficult. I thought this would be great if we had pulled off this national championship just a couple weeks ago. That would have catapulted Mario Cristobal up in there. And they got him close, anyway, because he put us all back on the live street again. You know you talk about the physical capabilities of playing on the football field. You’re looking at the Ray Lewis, the Ed Reed, the Jerome Brown, and the Alonzo Highsmith. And it’s just so much talent, we can’t get Mario in there.

But when he comes back as a coach, and his program’s been down for 25 years, and he lifts it back up and put it back on the mountain top, you have to start considering him on that Mount Rushmore, right on up there with Ray Lewis or Ed Reed or some bad boys. Man, Sean Taylor, Willis McGahee, it’s too many people at Miami, honestly, honestly, to have a Mount Rushmore. There’s a lot of combinations in there, it’s like the lottery; there are so many great ones.

Was watching the Michael Jackson halftime show during the Super Bowl your craziest SB story?

What made me feel comfortable about sneaking out to go watch Michael Jackson at Super Bowl XXVII was because right before halftime, I had just set that record with two official TDs within 18 seconds, so I felt comfortable. We had a comfortable lead; I gave it to them. I should be able to sneak out here and get to see a little bit of Michael Jackson.

And then he came up at that thing, and he stood there for about 5 minutes, and I was like, you gotta come out dude, I gotta get back in this locker room. You’ve got to perform, you know, do something. And he finally performed, you know, and it really was an incredible moment.

For me, you’ll never see that again. I’d never seen Michael Jackson perform at a concert or anything in real life, and this was the King of Kings, so I wanted to see that, and I got a chance to see it, and fortunately enough, we won the game, so it all ended well.

What would a Michael Irvin energy drink be called?

You know what I would call it? BTA Energy – Belt To Ass Energy, we could sell it at Hard Rock Bet, at the Hard Rock we sell BTA Energy, that’s what it is, you’re gonna get enough energy to put a belt to anyone’s ass, belt to ass energy.