DALLAS — Love him or not (and non-Cowboys fans might not), Michael Irvin knows how to captivate an audience and tell a story.
The Cowboys legend has been doing just that for nearly 40 years, going back to his college days at the University of Miami and his Hall of Fame career in Dallas. So when Irvin stopped by WFAA's Good Morning Texas to talk about his new sports bar and restaurant -- Playmakers88, located in The Colony -- he had a good story to tell.
His new restaurant features a scaled-down Cowboys Ring of Honor around the upper rafters, featuring all the great players in franchise history, Irvin included, alongside his Triplets teammates Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith.
The Ring of Honor decor "was the most important aspect for me" at the restaurant, Irvin said.
"Because when I walk in, the first thing I thought about was, 'What inspired me the most?'" Irvin said.
He then shared where that inspiration came from, going back to a pregame ritual he had with Smith, when the Cowboys were dominating the NFL and winning Super Bowls.
"And every time we stepped on the football field, right before the game, Emmitt Smith and I, in the tunnel, we would look at each other, we put our hands here, tap our heart and said, 'Double trouble.' Him being 22, me being 88," Irvin said. "That means you will lose this game by air or by ground. We will make sure we win. But we also would look up and see all the guys in the Ring of Honor. 'I will honor you with our play today.' It's what's most inspired me on the field. So it inspires me off the field, too."
Playmakers88 had its grand opening this weekend. Located in The Colony at 5005 State Highway 121 -- near Main Street and across the highway from the Grandscape development -- the restaurant offers full bar and kitchen service.
Chef Rassuan "RJ" Johnson, who was on hand with Irvin on Good Morning Texas on Tuesday morning, is running the menu, featuring sports bar staples, such as chicken wings and burgers, to southern and seafood offerings, including crab cakes.
The restaurant will also have a cocktail menu and more than 20 beers on tap. Watch the full interview with Irvin and Johnson in the video above.