Pro Football Journal: July 2026

By John Turney

LeRoy Irvin, who was a fine cornerback and elite punt returner who starred for the Los Angeles Rams throughout the 1980s, passed away on July 1, 2026, at age 68. Upon hearing of his friend's death former teammate Pat Thomas said, "LeRoy will always be in our family because he cared so much about his teammates and the game of football. He also brought lots of fun and laughter whenever he was around. Thanks be to God Almighty We will be seeing him again in heavenly places."

Hall-of-Fame running back's thoughts were similar stating he was, "Devastated to hear about the passing of my brother, teammate, and Rams legend Leroy Irvin. "Leroy wasn't just a lockdown corner and a fierce competitor on the field; he was a true friend and a great man who always brought incredible energy. Rest in peace, my brother."

Born September 15, 1957, in Fort Dix, NJ, Irvin grew up in Augusta, GA, where he attended Glenn Hills High School and excelled as a running back. He continued his football career at the University of Kansas as both a cornerback and free safety. He was voted second-team All-Big Eight Conference honors as a defensive back in 1978 and 1979.

As a senior at Kansas in 1979, Irvin led the Big Eight Conference with 27 punt returns for 321 yards and two touchdowns. He also intercepted five passes that season. Over his four-year career with the Jayhawks, he returned 42 punts for 454 yards and two scores while recording 10 interceptions at cornerback, a total that ties him for fifth in Kansas history.

The Los Angeles Rams selected Irvin in the third round (70th overall) of the 1980 NFL Draft.

Early on, he made his mark as a versatile defensive back and special teams standout. As a rookie, he played dime back, usually playing a third safety, in the "hole" of the defensive coordinator's "Cover-22 defense" and also backed up the corners and also started a couple of games at left cornerback in place of injured All-Pro Pat Thomas and showed well, foreshadowing things to come.

His role changed some in his second season (1981) as an extra defensive back, but playing the fifth back rather than the sixth for the most part. And with Thomas being injured again, LeRoy got seven starts and, of course, was the team's punt returner.

He was not able to break plays in the punt return game as a rookie, but in his sophomore season, he earned first-team All-Pro honors as a returner after leading the NFL with 615 punt return yards, a 13.4-yard average, and three touchdowns on 46 returns.

In Week Four, on Monday Night Football in Chicago, Irvin took a punt back for a touchdown. And it was a big deal. Why? A Rams player had not returned a punt for a touchdown since 1961, some twenty years. Irvin knew about that because Rams coaches would yell that fact at him and the return team. "This team has not taken a back for a TD in twenty years!" they'd say.

Irvin heard and answered. It got better from there. On October 11, 1981, against the Atlanta Falcons, he set the still-standing NFL record with 207 punt return yards in a single game, including two scores of 75 and 84 yards in a 37-35 Rams victory.

The two touchdown returns tied an NFL record and his total of 207 return yards set the league record, one that still stands.

In 1982, he was a nickel back, playing either slot or safety in that role and was a PFWA All-Pro as a punt returner after recording an 11.0 yards per return average and taking his fourth punt to the house.

There were big changes in the Rams' defense going into the 1983 season. The front switched from a 4-3 to a 3-4 and there were two new cornerbacks. Longtime started Pat Thomas and Rod Perry were traded away and the right cornerback position was now Irvin's. It was a soft coverage scheme with Irvin able to lie back and close on balls, suited for his style. Sure, he could cover man-to-man and got very good at it in the mid-to-late 1980s, but with new defensive coordinator Fritz Shurmur's design, they wanted to keep things in front of them. They gave up a lot of yards but picked off passes and tried to keep big plays to a minimum.

The first year in the new scheme, he intercepted four passes and forced three fumbles and the Rams earned a Wild Card spot, defeating the Cowboys in Dallas with Irvin picking off a pass and returning it 94 yards, which sealed a 24-17 win.

The next year, Irvin stole five passes and took two to the house. In 1985, he was even better, making second-team All-Pro and going to his first Pro Bowl as a position player. His first-team All-Pro season of 1986 was the pinnacle of his career, one that was a result of hard work and study.

He was a classic case of a self-made player. He was a good athlete, but not an elite one. Sure, he ran a 4.5 forty and was 5-feet-11, 184 pounds, which is adequate for an NFL corner but not great. He was anticipatory and was a solid hitter and began employing the things Thomas and Perry taught him. Said All-Pro safety Nolan Cromwell, "LeRoy made the most of his abilities and talents. He liked football, loved to practice, and loved the game."

The strike and a short suspension, a dispute about a contract, and a trade demand contributed to a down season for Irvin in 1987. He rebounded in 1988, making the Sports Illustrated All-Pro team selected by Paul Zimmerman, who wrote, "People say that Ram cornerback LeRoy Irvin has lost some speed and is relying on smarts. He looked as good as ever to me. Maybe he's getting a better break on the ball. He isn't troubled by the mistakes that flashier and more highly publicized cornerbacks make."

By 1990, the Rams were ready to move on from Irvin at right cornerback, with 1989 being a less-than-stellar season, missing some games due to an NFL suspension.

The Rams powers that be left him unprotected and eligible for the Plan B free-agency program that was fairly new at the time. No one picked him up, so he worked out for a handful of teams and in August was signed by the Lions.

After a year in the Motor City, Irvin retired. In February, he was left unprotected by the Lions placing him on the Plan B list and in April, he hung them up, ending his 11-year NFL career. One that resulted in 35 interceptions for 676 yards (19.3 avg.), taking five of them for touchdowns, taking his non-offensive touchdown total to 11 (he returned a blocked kick and a fumble for TDs) which is tied for 14th all time and also the Rams team record.

Other Rams team records are most interceptions returned for touchdowns (tied with Cromwell and Janoris Jenkins) and most punt returns for touchdowns (tied with Henry Ellard)

He was also a practical man. In 1986, he bought a gas station and to make sure his investment was sound, he tried to learn the business from the ground up, pumping gas, cleaning windows, and providing full service at his station. He endured some razzing from team members who would stop in with the expensive cars and make sure Irvin would use the squeegee himself.

"A lot of guys never think about what comes when their playing days are over," Irvin said at the time. "Then they get pushed up against retirement or being cut, and they're trying to squeeze out another year because there’s nothing else. I don’t want to go that way."

That demonstrates the kind of person Irvin was, earning his way in life, taking advice from others, applying it can it got him an All-Pro NFL career. And a record-setting game. And a positive legacy among his teammates. On of them, Nolan Cromwell, echoes that by saying, "LeRoy had an unwavering dedication both on and off the field. He loved life and kept his connections close. I played with LeRoy in college and with the L.A. Rams, and he was truly a great player and friend. He embraced life wholeheartedly and generously devoted his time to mentoring and helping young athletes. I will miss LeRoy, and he will be greatly missed by many."

Rest in peace, #47, you were a playmaker and widely loved.

Career stats

Individual honors