Cowboys icon blasts 'classless' ESPN for 'uncalled for' attack on NFL prospect's body during draft

Former Dallas Cowboys star Michael Irvin has vented his fury at ESPN over their ‘classless’ comments about an NFL prospect’s body.

During the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft last Thursday, ESPN sparked fury after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Rueben Bain Jr as the 15th overall pick. 

The network flashed a graphic on screen, as Bain made a walk from the green room to the stage, which noted he had the ‘shortest by 1st-Rd edge rusher since 2003’.

Former Cowboys star Irvin has since called out his former employer for the ‘classless’ move and suggested it was entirely ‘uncalled for’. 

Speaking on ‘Outspoken with Dan Sileo’ on Sunday, Irvin said: ‘What I watched ESPN do was an assault on a young man from Miami and it was absolutely classless and uncalled for.

‘When Rueben Bain’s name got called, this is one of the greatest moments of your life. You’re going to look back at this tape all the time and watch that year you got drafted. 

During the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft last Thursday, ESPN sparked fury after the Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Rueben Bain Jr as the 15th overall pick

‘Did you see the info bar? It has his arm length. I said, ‘Are you s***ting me? .. You’re supposed to have a highlight here, not a lowlight. Not something that everybody’s been talking about that’s made this man’s value fall down. 

‘You saw what he and his family were going through. I was like, ‘Oh, my God, man.’ That’s insane, that was just incredible and I thought it was so classless of them’.

ESPN’s on-screen graphic caused furious debate on social media, with some in agreement with Irvin and others suggesting it was a fair aspect to assess.

According to NFL.com, teams in the league tend to be put off by prospects who have arms measuring less than 33 inches. 

Therefore, despite an impressive season for the Hurricanes that saw him tally 9.5 sacks and win ACC Defensive Player of the Year, Bain slipped to 15th overall. 

At the NFL Combine, Tennessee coach Robert Saleh hinted at the potential struggles that Bain could encounter once joining the league. 

‘(Bain’s) tape is undeniable,’ Saleh said, per NFL.com. ‘His football IQ is off the charts. There are certain things he’ll have to adjust to, but he’s a guy that should have a lot of success in the league.’ 

Away from the football field, Bain was cited for careless driving in a 2024 car crash that ultimately left one of his passengers dead

Away from the football field, Bain was cited for careless driving in a 2024 car crash that ultimately left one of his passengers dead. 

As revealed by The Read Optional, Miami defensive end Rueben Bain Jr. was driving a Land Rover SUV with three passengers: Hurricanes teammates Wesley Bissainthe and Nyjalik Kelly, as well as 22-year-old Georgia woman, Destiny Betts.

According to an official report reviewed by The Daily Mail, the crash occurred on I-95 in Miami when Bain’s vehicle rear-ended another car around 4am. The impact caused Bain’s vehicle to ricochet from one concrete barrier into another before coming to a rest on the shoulder of the highway.

Betts was taken to a nearby trauma center where she fell into a coma before dying from her injuries three months later, according to a GoFundMe page from 2024.