Dan Irons (born December 31, 1954) is a former American football offensive tackle who played for the Texas Tech Red Raiders football team and was recognized as a consensus All-American in 1977.
| Born: | December 31, 1954 Tyler, Texas, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Career information | |
| Position(s) | OT |
| Height | 6 ft 7 in (201 cm) |
| Weight | 260 lb (120 kg) |
| College | Texas Tech University |
| High school | Monterey High School |
| NFL draft | 1978, round: 12, pick: 314 |
| Drafted by | San Francisco 49ers |
| Career history | |
| As player | |
| 1975–1977 | Texas Tech |
| Career highlights and awards | |
| |
Early life
editIrons was born in Tyler, Texas on December 31, 1954.[1] He is the son of Ed Irons, who played football and basketball at Texas Tech from 1938 to 1942 and was superintendent of Lubbock Independent School District.[2][3] The family later moved to Lubbock, Texas and Dan graduated from Monterey High School in 1973.[2] At Monterey, he earned all-state honors in both football and basketball.[4]
Playing career
editIrons played for the Texas Tech Red Raiders football team under coach Steve Sloan during the 1975, 1976 and 1977 seasons.[3] In 1975, as a starter on the offensive line, he helped the Red Raiders lead the Southwest Conference in total yards.[3] He made the All-SWC team in both the 1976 and 1977 seasons.[3] Following his senior year, as a 6-foot, 7-inch, 260-pound tackle, he was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American, having received first-team honors from several publications and organizations including the American Football Coaches Association and United Press International (UPI).[5] Irons was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers in the 12th round (314th overall selection) of the 1978 NFL draft.[1][6] He was unable to play professionally due to recurring knee problems.[2][3] In 1999, he was inducted into the Texas Tech University Athletic Hall of Honor with Curtis Jordan, Gary Ashby and Jack Alderson.[2][3] Both Jordan and Ashby attended Monterey High School with Irons.[2]
After football
editAfter leaving Texas Tech, Irons moved to Midland, Texas and worked in sales of school furniture and supplies.[4] He is the father of Erin Irons, who was a swimmer for Texas Christian University in the early 2000s.[7]
References
edit- ^ a b "Dan Irons". NFL. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e Rosetta, Randy (August 15, 1999). "Three Plainsmen to enter Raider Hall". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
- ^ a b c d e f "Texas Tech Hall Of Honor (Last name I-L)". Texas Tech. Archived from the original on July 20, 2011. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
- ^ a b "The South Plains' Top 100 Athletes". Lubbock Avalanche-Journal. August 29, 1999. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
- ^ 2014 NCAA Football Records Book, Award Winners, National Collegiate Athletic Association, Indianapolis, Indiana, pp. 4 & 14 (2014). Retrieved August 28, 2014.
- ^ "1978 San Francisco 49ers: Drafted players". pro-football-reference. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
- ^ "Erin Irons". TCU. Archived from the original on September 3, 2014. Retrieved August 28, 2014.