Former Rams All-Pro cornerback LeRoy Irvin dies at 68

LeRoy Irvin, a former All-Pro cornerback and record-setting punt returner for the Los Angeles Rams, has died. He was 68. The Rams announced his death on Thursday, July 2, 2026. No immediate details about the cause of death were released, though reports indicated he had battled throat cancer.

Irvin spent a decade with the Rams after being selected in the third round of the 1980 NFL Draft out of the University of Kansas. He developed into one of the league's most versatile defensive playmakers, known for his prowess both in the secondary and on special teams. His career concluded with a final season playing for the Detroit Lions in 1990.

He first earned national recognition as a punt returner in 1981, leading the NFL in punt return yards and earning first-team All-Pro honors. That season, in a game against the Atlanta Falcons, Irvin set a single-game NFL record with 207 punt return yards, a mark that still stands. He later established himself as a premier cover corner, receiving first-team All-Pro recognition at that position in 1986. Irvin was selected to the Pro Bowl following the 1985 and 1986 seasons, making him one of the few players in league history to achieve first-team...