LeRoy Irvin turned a decade of punts and turnovers into some of the most electric returns in Los Angeles Rams history. Now his teammates and the franchise are mourning him.
Irvin, a two-time Pro Bowl cornerback and the team’s career leader in non-offensive touchdowns, died this week at 68. The Rams confirmed his death in a social media post Thursday, and former teammate Eric Dickerson shared an emotional tribute of his own.
The team did not share details about the circumstances of his death. Eric Geller, a journalist who partnered with Irvin on high school football broadcasts after his playing days ended, reported that Irvin had been fighting throat cancer and died Wednesday night.
Irvin’s path from Kansas to the Rams
Irvin starred at the University of Kansas before turning pro. As a senior in 1979, he led the Big Eight Conference with 27 punt returns for 321 yards and two touchdowns, and he added five interceptions that same season. Over four years with the Jayhawks, he piled up 42 punt returns for 454 yards, two touchdowns and 10 interceptions.
The Rams picked Irvin in the third round of the 1980 NFL Draft, 70th overall. He quickly became a fixture in the secondary and on special teams.
An NFL record that still stands
Irvin’s signature game came on Oct. 11, 1981, in a 37-35 win over the Atlanta Falcons. He returned six punts that day for 207 yards, an NFL record for a single game that has never been broken. Two of those returns went for touchdowns, covering 75 and 84 yards.
Irvin played 10 seasons with Los Angeles and started 104 games before closing out his career with a final year in Detroit with the Lions in 1990. He made two Pro Bowls with the Rams and earned All-Pro recognition as well.
Irvin’s place in Rams history
Irvin finished his career with 35 interceptions for 676 yards and 147 punt returns for 1,457 yards. He added 61 kickoff returns for 1,180 yards. In total, he scored 11 non-offensive touchdowns, still a Rams franchise record, and he remains tied with Janoris Jenkins and Ed Meador for the most pick-six interceptions in team history.
Life after football
After retiring, Irvin stayed close to the game as a coach, broadcaster and businessman. He partnered with Geller for years on public-access broadcasts of Buena Park High School football games, and he and Dickerson built a business relationship that lasted well beyond their playing days.
Irvin is survived by his four children, Leroy III, Charles, Sarah and Julius.
Tributes for Irvin pour in
Dickerson, a Hall of Fame running back and Irvin’s former Rams teammate, wrote on Instagram that he was devastated by the loss of his brother and friend. He described Irvin as a fierce competitor who brought incredible energy to everyone around him and became a true friend off the field as well. Dickerson closed his tribute with prayers for the Irvin family and all of Rams Nation.
The Rams organization also posted a tribute on X, mourning the loss of a franchise legend and extending condolences to his family and friends. Geller, reflecting on their years working together, remembered Irvin as an even better person than he was a player, and said he would miss his friend’s raspy voice and sense of humor.