NFL Legend Michael Irvin Reveals Wife Sandy Has Been Living with Early-Onset Alzheimer's for Years

Brenton Blanchet
·2-min read

The former Dallas Cowboys player and his wife have been married since 1990

<p>Dia Dipasupil/Getty </p> Michael Irvin and his wife Sandy Harrell photographed in 2019 in Atlanta

Dia Dipasupil/Getty

Michael Irvin and his wife Sandy Harrell photographed in 2019 in Atlanta

Dallas Cowboys legend Michael Irvin says his wife Sandy has been dealing with early-onset Alzheimer's for multiple years.

The former wide receiver and Pro Football Hall of Famer, 58, shared the personal news with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, revealing that his 58-year-old wife has had the disease for 5 or 6 years. (He and Sandy have been married since 1990.)

The outlet reported this week that Michael — who has been retired from professional football since 2000 and has since worked as an NFL analyst — first told patrons at his Playmakers88 sports bar in The Colony, Texas, about his wife's diagnosis.

Related: Michael Irvin Pulled from NFL Network's Super Bowl Coverage After Complaint from Woman

<p>Michael Irvin/Instagram</p> Michael Irvin and his wife Sandy pose for a photo on Instagram

Michael Irvin/Instagram

Michael Irvin and his wife Sandy pose for a photo on Instagram

As he reportedly explained, Sandy has trouble walking, speaking and requires around-the-clock care with a live-in caretaker. Michael reportedly also asked for prayers for his family.

“If anyone has earned the right to stay in her house, MY WIFE HAS!!!,” Irvin told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, via text, when sharing that he has no intention of having her placed in a home.

“That I shall honor. No matter what it takes," he added.

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Younger/early-onset Alzheimers is "much less common" and affects people under the age of 65, per the Alzheimer’s Association. People in their 40s and 50s are most likely to be diagnosed with it, and getting an accurate diagnosis "can be a long and frustrating process," per the non-profit.

"Doctors do not understand why most cases of early-onset Alzheimer's appear at such a young age," the website reads. "But in a few hundred families worldwide, scientists have pinpointed several rare genes that directly cause Alzheimer's."

According to the Alzheimer's Association, nearly 7 million Americans have Alzheimer's, with 6.9 million Americans age 65 and older living with it in 2024.

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