DALLAS — Michael Irvin spoke Wednesday morning about allegations against him related to an incident at a hotel, calling out both Marriott and people he says are "above the law" for not giving him a chance to defend himself.
The February incident involved a female hotel staffer in Arizona, which led to Irvin being sent home from Super Bowl coverage. As of Wednesday afternoon, it is still not clear what Irvin is being accused of.
Irvin sued the Arizona Marriott hotel for $100 million in damages over the allegations. He has denied the allegations that he had any inappropriate physical conduct between him and the woman.
Wednesday, Irvin along with his lawyer, Levi McCathern, spoke to the media about why the allegations are not true while also bringing in some witnesses who saw Irvin that night.
"I know I didn't do anything wrong," Irvin said. "I know I didn't do anything wrong. And I was trying to do everything right."
In Irvin's lawsuit, which is filed in Collin County where he lives, Irvin's attorneys accused Marriott's employees and management of "inaccurately and inflammatorily" accusing Irvin of misconduct.
The lawsuit said Irvin had a "brief, friendly interaction with a Marriott employee lasting no longer than one minute" as he arrived back at the hotel Sunday night.
McCathern, previously told WFAA that his office had reached out to the hotel to talk about the situation but "they refused to speak to us." In the press conference, McCathern said Irvin's agent was eventually able to get a meeting with Marriott's GM and head of marketing. The head of security was not included in that meeting, McCathern said.
"This sickens me," Irvin said. "Because in this great country, it takes me back to a time when a white woman would accuse a black man of something, and they would take a bunch of guys who are above the law, run in the barn, put a rope around his foot and drag him through the mud and hang him by the tree."
Earlier in February, Irvin spoke with Shan & RJ on Audacy's 105.3-FM The Fan and denied the allegations while sharing he had gone out on the night of the alleged incident with former Cowboys safety Michael Brooks.
"I don't remember, but I guess when I came in [to the hotel], they [the NFL Network] asked, 'Well, what did you do [last night]?'" Irvin said on the radio show. "I said, 'I went straight to the room.'"
"That's why I'm just kind of hiding and waiting to see how everything comes down," Irvin said on the radio show. "It was a minute meeting somewhere in the lobby. I don't even remember it really because I had a few drinks to tell you the truth."
On Wednesday at the press conference, Irvin said due to his job covering the NFL, he travels throughout the year and is in many different hotels in many cities. Since he said he meets people every day "walking in and out of a lobby," he doesn't even know who the woman making these allegations looks like.
"It just blows my mind in 2023 we are still dragging and hanging brothers by a tree," Irvin said. "That blows my mind that I have no opportunity to defend...I don't even know what I'm defending."
Wednesday's press conference came one day after a judge ordered Marriott to provide Irvin “any and all video recordings, written reports, and/or witness statements gathered” that pertain to Irvin’s February visit at the Arizona hotel by March 7 at 5 p.m.
"Marriott is above the law because I still haven't seen this tape," Irvin said. "I haven't seen this tape. I want to see what I'm being accused of. Why I've put my whole life on hold. Why my family had to endure. If I did something wrong, I'll suffer the consequences of me doing something wrong. But if you did something wrong, you meaning [Marriott], then they should suffer the consequences of what they did wrong. It's just sickening."
Later in the press conference right before it was about to finish, Irvin spoke one last time and brought up the struggle he is now dealing with in deciding to even engage with fans in public.
"You try to be an ambassador of the league and also understand that God has blessed me and given me a platform to try to touch people, try to raise people, try to lift people up," Irvin said. "I don't know, I've met a lot of fans. I've tried to be good with people."