Michael Irvin Gets Feisty On Stickum: I Never Used It — Now Stop Asking!

NEW YORK (WFAN) -- Michael Irvin says he has "a problem" with anybody who assumes he used Stickum during his playing days.

Last week, legendary wide receiver Jerry Rice admitted to using the adhesive prohibited by league rules. In the ensuing uproar, Rice tweeted: "I apologize ppl after doing my research about stickum! The NFL banned this in 1981. All players did it! #equalplayingfield."

Ever since, Irvin has been swamped by tweets like these:

He ended the debate Thursday on WFAN radio, vehemently denying ever using Stickum.

Now stop asking.

"I love Jerry Rice, but that's what everybody says. 'Oh, everybody did it.' That's the oldest defense in the world," Irvin told WFAN's Evan Roberts. "I didn't use Stickum. I never used Stickum, didn't need Stickum, didn't believe in Stickum. I wouldn't do it. Troy (Aikman) would go off on me if I put Stickum on his footballs. You see what I'm saying? Stop asking me this junk. I didn't feel like I should answer it. I have not answered one (tweet) on it."

The Hall of Fame receiver and three-time Super Bowl champion said he'd never even seen it in the Dallas Cowboys locker room.

He drew an extreme analogy to the murder charges facing former New England Patriots tight end Aaron Hernandez, who has pleaded not guilty and is currently on trial in Massachusetts.

"It's almost like -- and I hate to get this harsh -- if Aaron Hernandez starts saying 'Well, Michael murdered some people,' don't start asking me did I murder somebody," Irvin said. "You know darn well I didn't murder anybody. Just because somebody threw it out there -- leave me alone with that mess. Get off my Twitter with that."

Rice is the NFL's all-time leader with 22,895 receiving yards. Irvin finished his career with 11,904 yards.

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