Former NFL player and analyst Irv Cross passed away at the age of 81 on Sunday, according to ESPN. His son, Matthew, confirmed the news to the Philadelphia Eagles that his father died near his home in Roseville, Minnesota, though the cause of his death was not revealed.
Cross played a total of nine seasons in the NFL, starting out his career with the Philadelphia Eagles from 1961 to 1965, earning Pro Bowl nods in 1964 and 1965. He then played for the Los Angeles Rams from 1966 to 1968 before he returned to Philadelphia to hang up his cleats by the end of the 1969 season.
Irv Cross amassed a total of 22 interceptions, eight forced fumbles, and a couple of defensive touchdowns throughout his playing career. After retiring, Cross joined CBS and covered several sports before joining Brent Musburger, Phyllis George, and Jimmy Snyder on “The NFL Today” back in 1975.
The involvement of Cross on the show was groundbreaking because he was the first African American to appear as a full-time sports analyst on national television. He eventually rounded up his stint with the network after 23 years and garnered the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award back in 2009.
After leaving CBS in 1994, Cross then switched to another career path by serving as an athletic director at Idaho State and then Macalester College in Minnesota. He's survived by his wife, Liz, along with their four children.
“All of us at CBS Sports are saddened by the news of Irv Cross' passing,” CBS Sports chairman Sean McManus said in a statement. “Irv was a pioneer who made significant contributions to the storied history and tradition of CBS Sports and, along with Phyllis George and Brent Musburger, set the standard for NFL pregame shows with THE NFL TODAY.”
Irv Cross was truly a groundbreaking figure and will be missed.