Bruce Irvin has already played in two Super Bowls. He already won a ring with the Seattle Seahawks and now he is confident that his new team, the Oakland Raiders, can win won too.
Irvin, a former WVU football player, has never been short on confidence. He was a sack-master with the Mountaineers in the late 2000s and he has gone on to the professional ranks, developing into one of the most unique defensive players in the game.
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He was a hot commodity in the free agent market, but ultimate chose to sign with the Raiders in the offseason.
With the Seahawks, Irvin was ultimately overshadowed by his fellow teammates dubbed the “Legion of Boom.” That moniker, given to secondary players Richard Sherman, Jeremy Lane, Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas.
Irvin expects his role to change with the Raiders. He’ll still be the same player he always was, from a personal standpoint, but he wants all of Oakland to know just what kind of player and person he is.
“They didn’t bring me here to be a follower,” Irvin told ESPN.com. “I’m a very outspoken guy. … I’m coming to be a leader. I’m not stepping on any toes, but if I have something to say, I am going to say it.”
He had many memorable moments in his four years with the Seahawks. On top of a pair of Super Bowl appearances, Irvin was responsible for getting there in the first place.
Last season, Irvin had a pair of pick-6 touchdowns for Seattle, as described in this story by a fellow FanSided site, Further Review.
Back in 2012, when Irvin was a first-round draft pick by Seattle, he arrived on the scene with a vengeance as he tallied eight sacks as a rookie.
Irvin has 131 career tackles and, now, a total of 22 sacks. He has also forced four fumbles and has a total of three interceptions. Two of those interceptions were returned for touchdowns.
Last year the Raiders went 7-9. The team has hardly been a force in the AFC for the past decade. The Raiders last made the playoffs in 2002.
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Irvin knows what it takes to be a part of a winning franchise. In that case, it is good that he is stepping up in his career from a role player to a leader. Already, Irvin can see the development of the Raiders from a perennial loser to a resurgent winner.
"“You have a lot of guys who are willing to listen to the older guys, so that’s the greatest thing about coming to a situation like this,” Irvin said. “I have to say, it’s a bunch of guys who are hungry. They are ready to take the next step. We know what we have to do. We’ve seen the blueprint to win a Super Bowl — it’s running the ball and playing great defense. I think we are ready to take that next step and really capture this AFC West.”"
One thing is for sure, Irvin won’t lose an argument. On the other hand, striking an argument with the 6-foot-3, 250-pound monster of a man is not a wise decision.
The guy knows what he is talking about.