Top 10 NFL careers of Tennessee football O-Linemen
Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. 1978-1980. Tim Irwin. player. Years in NFL: 14. 6. 839
Teams played for:
- Minnesota Vikings, 1981-1993
- Miami Dolphins, 1994
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 1994
One of Johnny Majors’ first starters, Tim Irwin blocked for Tennessee football as the program was being rebuilt in the late 1970s. He earned All-SEC honors as a senior in 1980, Phillip Fulmer’s first season as the program’s offensive line coach. Despite the Vols going 5-6, that year, Irwin’s play helped set the standard for what the program would become.
The Minnesota Vikings took Irwin in the third round of the 1981 NFL Draft. After appearing in seven games as a rookie, he found his way into the starting lineup at right tackle in 1982. That became a position the 6’7″ 300-pound model of consistency would not let go of until the mid-1990s. He became a fixture up front.
From 1982 to 1993, Irwin started every game of every season except one, when he missed three games in 1987 due to the players’ strike. Irwin was a mark of durability, helping the Vikings reach the NFL Playoffs in 1982, 1987 through 1989 and then 1992 through 1994. Irwin helped block for Herschel Walker during his two years in Minnesota and was a star up front.
After the 1993 season, Irwin played for both the Miami Dolphins and Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 1994 before his career ended. He spent 14 years in the pros and appeared in 201 games, starting in 187 of them. As a result, it’s safe to say he had a very successful pro career, and were it not for two strikes, he would have started a full 16 games for 12 straight years.