Oakland Raiders linebacker Bruce Irvin thinks the departure of Khalil Mack means it's his time to shine.
Irvin trailed Mack with eight sacks last season, giving him the second-highest total on the team. Raiders head coach John Gruden recently said Irvin needed to step his game up. He claimed that it was now rookie defensive end Arden Key's time. After hearing this, Irvin confronted Gruden on Monday.
“I just said, ‘I think you got it backward,” Irvin told ESPN.com. “It's Bruce Irvin's time, and Arden Key's got to step up. I mean, at the end of the day we've both got to step up,” Irvin added, “so it is what it is.”
Gruden seems to have lit a fire under the seven-year vet. With Mack out of the picture, Irvin won't be playing second fiddle any longer. He is the rightful heir to the Raiders defense and will look to prove it this season.
Plenty of young talent in Oakland was overshadowed by the dominance of Mack in his years there. Now it's their turn to be in the spotlight.
“I'm excited, man,” Irvin said. “I've got my young boys working with me, four days a week. Arden, Fadol and Shilique, we work out four days a week at 7 a.m. If one do it, we all going to do it. It's great, man. I'm looking forward to taking on the challenge and I think we're going to be pretty good.”
This former Super Bowl champion will have a chip on his shoulder as proves whether or not he can run his own show.
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