Irv Cross


Irvin Acie Cross is a former professional American football cornerback and sportscaster.

Playing career

Cross graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from Northwestern University School of Education and Social Policy in 1961, the same graduating class as future broadcasting colleague Brent Musburger. He was part of Ara Parseghian's first recruiting class at Northwestern. A three-year football letterman from 1958 through 1960, he also starred in track and field and was honored as the university's Male Athlete of the Year when he was a senior.
He was selected by the Philadelphia Eagles in the seventh round of the 1961 NFL Draft. He was traded to the Los Angeles Rams for Aaron Martin and Willie Brown on June 8, 1966. In 1969, he returned to the Eagles and became a player/coach. He retired from play before the 1970 season, becoming a coach for the Eagles. Cross is an inductee of the Indiana Football Hall of Fame.

After football

Cross was employed as an analyst and commentator for CBS Sports from 1971, when he became the first African-American to work full-time as a sports analyst on national television, to 1994. In addition to his work on CBS' NFL coverage, Cross called NBA basketball, track and field, and gymnastics at various times for the network.
Cross served as athletic director at Idaho State University from 1996 to 1998. He then was the director of athletics at Macalester College in Saint Paul, Minnesota for six years until June 2005. He was the CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Minnesota until May 2010, and returned to football commentary for the Twin Cities' Fox station KMSP-TV.
Irv Cross was the 2009 recipient of the Pete Rozelle Radio-Television Award – the award, given annually by the Pro Football Hall of Fame, recognizes "long-time exceptional contributions to radio and television in professional football."

Personal life

Cross has two daughters, Susan and Lisa, from a first marriage, and two children, Matthew and Sarah, with his second wife, Elizabeth.