“Ring-a-Ding-a-Ling, I Got Them All”: Michael Irvin Goes Viral for His Motivational Speech at Miami Legends Camp

The Miami Hurricanes aren’t the dominant football program they were in the 1990s and 2000s, but they still hold a special place in the football world thanks to their many successful alumni from those championship eras. Those alumni show love to the university every year at Miami’s Legends youth football camp.

This season’s edition was held this past weekend at the Carol Soffer Indoor Practice Facility on the Hurricanes’ campus. And one of the most iconic former Hurricanes to show up and coach the kids this year was Michael Irvin. The former NFL wideout has been one of the most vocal supporters of his alma mater and regularly attends games.

This year, however, Irvin was significantly riled up. One of the cheeky teens at the camp must have questioned his credentials, because the Hall of Famer was caught on video vehemently singing his own praises. Irvin’s main point seemed to be that he was a perennial winner, so they should listen to his advice.

“Every last one of them, I beat them all. They can all outrun me, but I outringed ’em,” Irvin screamed to the youngsters at the top of his voice.

“Ring-a-ding-a-ling! I got ’em all. I got rings and things. Gold jackets, championships, all that. I didn’t win a ring. I won rings! And I didn’t win on one level, I won on ALL levels!”

Irvin proclaimed he won titles at all levels. He won three Super Bowls with the Dallas Cowboys and a national title with the ‘Canes in 1987. However, there is no evidence to suggest St. Thomas Aquinas in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, won a state title while he was there attending high school.

Aquinas has won 15 state titles since 1992 (most in the state), but their first state title game appearance was 1991, three years after Irvin was drafted into the NFL.

Legends camp was filled with other NFL stars like Irvin

Either way, Irvin definitely knows what it takes to win and has a resume to prove it. That’s why his rant about “rings” was viewed as a bit strange by a couple of onlookers. One Twitter user said, “I’ll never understand why some people could have all of the success in the world and still be chronically insecure.”

However, most replies to the clip of Irvin’s speech were positive. “That’s motivating and inspiration to those young men that want to be great and make it to the next level and for these that want to win championships and rings there’s no better person to give the persona other than someone that has already done and is able to live to tell it,” said one supporter.

Others also chimed in, with one saying, “I mean he’s not lying,” while another said, “Hahaha I ain’t mad at him! Talk your talk! Winning on all levels is tuff.”

After the camp wrapped up, Irvin took to his Instagram to share another inspirational message and share why he believes the camp is so important to these young athletes.

“We just broke camp ya’ll. You don’t see the shirt? I done put in that work boy. Tryna make sure these young brothers over here, these young boys, understand what it takes, to come and play right here at the U. It’s legends camp, and I’ma tell you something. Young men, wanna become grown men, and we want them to become grown dogs, and get up on that board over there. So we’re gonna give them all what they need.”

Irvin wasn’t the only one teaching the youth at Miami’s Legends camp. As the name suggests, many other Miami legends who made their mark in the NFL were also in attendance over the weekend.

Running backs Lamar Miller, Najeh Davenport, Edgerrin James, Duke Johnson, and Willis McGahee were there. Allen Hurns and Travis Benjamin worked alongside Irvin with the receivers. Jeremy Shockey was there for the tight ends, and Ereck Flowers worked with the offensive linemen.

The list of Miami alumni on the defensive side was also impressive. Vince Wilfork and Jaelan Phillips took care of the D-linemen while Jonathan Vilma and Jon Beason kept an eye on the linebackers. The DBs took their cues from 2024 third-round pick, Kamren Kinchens.