Dallas Cowboys Legend Michael Irvin Reveals Wife’s Alzheimer’s Diagnosis

Michael Irvin and his wife attend the film premiere of The Longest Yard in Hollywood, Calif., on May 19, 2005. (Frederick M. Brown/Getty Images)

Former Dallas Cowboys star receiver Michael Irvin revealed that his wife of 34 years, Sandy, has been battling early-onset Alzheimer’s disease.

The 58-year-old first broke the news of her diagnosis during a soft opening of his “Playmakers88” sports bar in Texas, saying she’s been dealing with the disease for five or six years.

In a statement to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, the NFL Hall of Famer said Sandy now requires around-the-clock care and a live-in caretaker, before asking for prayers for his family.

“If anyone has earned the right to stay in her house, MY WIFE HAS!!! That I shall honor. No matter what it takes,” he said.

Mr. Irvin told the outlet that Sandy has trouble walking and speaking, but did not further elaborate on her symptoms.

The couple met in college at the University of Miami and have been together for nearly 40 years. They married in 1990, and will celebrate their 34th wedding anniversary on June 25.

In an Instagram post last year, celebrating their 33rd wedding anniversary, Mr. Irvin referred to Sandy as “the greatest BLESSING and GIFT he [God] has ever BESTOWED on me.”

Playmakers88

Aside from football, Mr. Irvin found passion in the restaurant business, opening up his latest endeavor, called Playmakers88, in The Colony, just outside of Dallas.

Mr. Irvin notes his wife is a picky eater, and would only order chicken wings from one specific restaurant. In catering to her likes, Mr. Irvin hired that chef for his new spot.

The name of the sports bar pays tribute to the nickname and jersey number by which he was known during his 12-year career.

Mr. Irvin, who won three Super Bowl titles with the Dallas Cowboys in the ‘90s, was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007.

He retired from professional football in 2000, and worked as an analyst for ESPN and the NFL Network, before being dropped as a result of legal troubles.

In February of 2023, Mr. Irvin was pulled from Super Bowl LVII coverage after being accused of inappropriate behavior by an employee at a Phoenix, Arizona, hotel. Specifics of the allegations were unclear, but Mr. Irvin has denied all claims made against him.

He filed a $100 million defamation lawsuit against the “Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel,” a Marriott hotel chain, before reaching a settlement that same year.

Meanwhile, in January Mr. Irvin was also under criminal investigation by authorities in Allen, Texas, which centered around an unspecified allegation made against him. That case ended up being closed a few months later, and he was cleared of any criminal charges.

Early-Onset Alzheimer’s

Alzheimer’s disease is a progressive brain disorder affecting a person’s ability to function. It is the most common cause of dementia, a gradual decline in memory, thinking, behavior, and social skills. Nearly 7 million Americans are living with the disease.

Younger-onset, also known as early-onset Alzheimer’s, is much less common and affects people younger than age 65.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, most patients with early-onset are in their 40s and 50s. Symptoms vary from memory loss, losing track of dates or locations, taking longer to complete everyday tasks, and changes in mood or personality, among others.

There is currently no cure for early-onset Alzheimer’s, but with early detection and some treatment options like medication, some people have slowed the progress of the disease.