“Punk, get the f**k out of my chair!” – When Michael Irvin went berserk and stabbed Cowboys teammate Everett McIver in the neck with scissors

Over two decades after he stopped playing, Michael Irvin remains one of the most successful and widely known wide receivers the NFL has ever seen. However, everyone has a few skeletons in their closet. While Irvin is known for his work even after the NFL, he was also scrutinized for allegedly stabbing his Dallas Cowboys teammate Everett McIver.

While scandals and controversies can be a part of an athlete's life, some issues are still relevant for people years later. That being said, younger fans might not be aware of Irvin's gruesome altercation with McIver.

The incident was mentioned in 'Boys Will Be Boys: The Glory Days and Party Nights of the Dallas Cowboys Dynasty,' a book by Jeff Pearlman. The author wasted no time in setting the mood, aptly naming the first chapter 'Scissors to the Neck.'

Of course, the whole situation was somehow buried with the Cowboys not making the information public. However, the Dallas Morning News heard about the scissor attack, and ended up writing a piece about it.

Cowboys owner Jerry Jones got involved, even threatening to stop advertising with the newspaper. Later, there were no comments from anyone, including McIver, Jones and their coach Chan Gailey. When asked again, Gailey revealed that the team was handling the situation internally.

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What exactly happened between Michael Irvin and Everett McIver?

The incident apparently took place during the team's training camp in 1998. The situation, however, escalated quite quickly. McIver, who played as an offensive lineman for the Cowboys from 1998 to 2000, refused to give up the barber's chair for Irvin.

Michael Irvin at the NFL Combine

Michael Irvin said:

“Seniority!”

However, McIver stayed put. Irvin reportedly lost his mind at this and began shouting:

“Seniority! Seniority! Seniority! Punk, get the f*** out of my chair!”

Teammate Erik Williams, who was with them, asked McIver to remain seated, especially as he was not a rookie. But as things continued, McIver ended up shoving Irvin, who shoved the lineman back. The latter even threw Irvin into a wall, eventually punching the WR in the mouth.

As a result, Irvin stabbed McIver in the neck. Though McIver survived, the wound could have been particularly fatal. Here's what Pearlman wrote on the matter:

“The motion was neither smooth nor slick. Like a saw cutting felt. The tip of the scissors ripped into McIver’s skin, just about his collarbone and inches from the carotid artery. McIver let loose a horrified scream.”

Michael Irvin, who was with the Cowboys his entire career, had to take early retirement after a spinal injury in 1999. McIver, on his end, bounced around the league before retiring with the Atlanta Falcons. He was signed as a free agent, but was eventually released.