As a rookie, Irving figured to be a change-of-pace compliment to lead back Rachaad White, but he proved to be so much more that he was the primary ballcarrier by the end of the season. He finished that season with 1,122 rushing yards and 1,514 yards from scrimmage, with a robust 5.4 yards per carry and 47 receptions. Among players with at least 100 carries that season, Irving ranked second in the league in missed tackles forced percentage, at 36.9%
Last season, of course, was not the follow-up to that brilliant rookie campaign that either Irving or the team wanted or expected. His yardage totals were essentially cut in half and his per-carry average dropped to 3.4. And it wasn’t easy for the young back with a deep love for playing the game of football. However, he came through it stronger on the other side.
“We play a physical game. At some point in life or playing this game, some adversity is going to happen and you just have to know how to respond it.
“I learned a lot about myself. What this game means to me — I’ve been doing this since I was 4-years-old, and [it was my] first time being hurt. Being able to also know you [are] more than just a football player and just being able to self-reflect on things that you can learn outside of football. Just being able to be around my team and know the joy [that] they bring when you [are] around them…So, just being able to know adversity is going to come at some point, but at the end of the day, it’s going to determine how you come out of that. It’s going to make you stronger.”
So on this surprising comfortable Florida morning in late July, even being able to be on the practice field was bringing Irving joy.
“Like I said, I don’t take this game for granted,” he said. “Each and every time I step on the field I’m trying to give me all for this team and for this community. This is what I love to do, and when I step on the field I’m going to give my all every time.”
Can Irving rediscover his peak powers from 2024, when he finished eighth among NFL running backs in yards from scrimmage, routinely turned lost plays into explosive runs and had fans at Raymond James Stadium heartily chanting his name. Well, he’s got health on his side now, he’ll be working in a Zac Robinson rushing attack that seems to play to his strengths and, well, he’s not lacking in motivation.
“I’ve been doubted my whole life, and just being able to have an edge…I’ve always been told I’m too small, I’m not fast enough,” said Irving. Things like that, it motivates me and gives me an edge when I step on the field. I also know what I do it for. I do it for the people back home who don’t really get the chance to make it to the NFL and try and give them some hope that each and every time I step on the field I’m going to give them my all.”