Once every blue moon, a program finds a generational talent… and talker. Bruce Irvin is remembered as such by the WVU community. The Super Bowl XLVIII champion and Mountaineer legend is worth celebrating on the weekend of the big game. Read more: Super Bowl champion spotlight: WVU legend Bruce Irvin.
“Bruuuuuuuuuuuuuce,” the fans at Milan Puskar Stadium called out anytime Irvin made a play. It was a trend that followed the WVU grad across the country to Seattle, Washington, the home of the 12th Man.
Irvin is a survivor, a name-changer, and — at one time — one hell of a playmaker. This is his spotlight.
From B.J. to Bruce
Irvin went by the name “B.J.” throughout his formative years in Georgia. Personal turmoil followed the name wherever it was said. That all changed when he made the switch to Bruce, and the legend began to develop.
Bruce went on to play at the junior college level. Scout.com ranked Irvin as the second best JuCo level talent in the country. 72 tackles and 16 sacks in one season made quite the impression, after all.
He played a key role in Mt. San Antonio’s national title run, serving as the foundation of a stout defense.
Irvin left a large impression on the country, leading then-USC Head Coach Pete Carroll to try and recruit the California native. Academic issues prevented the move, but it would not be the last time Carroll and Irvin interacted.
Country Roads
With USC out of the equation, Irvin ended up in Morgantown. What he did in a two-year span is borderline mythical.
The 2010 season served as Irvin’s junior year. In that time, the 6’3 defensive end racked up 14 sacks and two forced fumbles. Irvin’s time with the media and witty outlook paired well with his gridiron prowess, winning over the Mountaineer faithful.
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Irvin’s senior campaign was impressive, too. The beloved game-wrecker tallied up another 8.5 sacks and three forced fumbles.
One thing is for certain — Irvin made a positive impact on the right people.
First round feeding frenzy
Often compared to Bruce the Shark from Finding Nemo by fans and press alike, the first round of the 2012 NFL Draft was a feeding frenzy. The former JuCo standout and highly-regarded WVU graduate was taken by Pete Carroll’s Seattle Seahawks with the 15th overall pick.
“I love eating quarterbacks,” Irvin said upon arriving to Seattle. Perfect.
Irvin helped bolster what would become the legendary “Legion of Boom” defense in his rookie year. At 25 years old, Irvin stood amongst fellow behemoths, racking up eight sacks. The statistic proves more impressive when noting that Irvin did not start a single game in 2012.
It was about to be taken to another level.
Super Bruce
The 2013 season featured Irvin in a more team-centered role. He only notched two sacks, but caught an interception and improved his total tackles from 17 to 40.
Seattle, with help from the first-rounder, trudged all the way to the Super Bowl at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Most fans could tell that the Denver Broncos stood no chance against the mighty Seahawks.
Irvin only contributed two tackles in the 43-8 routing of Peyton Manning and co., but stats do not matter when confetti is falling in your team’s colors.
The Seahawks (and Irvin) returned to the big game the following year, but the New England Patriots stepped up at the goal-line.
On a light-hearted note, Irvin became the first player in NFL history to be ejected from a Super Bowl, taking part in a late-game shoving match with the Pats.
The road after
Irvin stayed in the Emerald City through the end of the 2015 season. The champ jumped from Oakland to Atlanta, Carolina, and other stops along the way.
His time in Carolina was arguably the Californian’s greatest individual season. Irvin’s 2019 campaign featured a career-high 8.5 sacks, combined with 16 quarterback hits and 36 total tackles.
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Irvin played as recently as 2023, picking up a tackle along the way.
The fact is, Irvin could have went down in Mountaineer lore without even taking a snap in the NFL. That Super Bowl ring is just icing on the cake for one of the greats.
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