Bruce Irvin has an image to maintain. He wears extra eye black to look scary. He doesn't cry at movies. He's the disciplinarian at home.
For the record, Ricardo Lockette isn't buying the tough-guy act.
So it's at least conceivable that Bruce Irvin has a softer side, but, you know, not on the record. Which brings us to the top of our list of 12 things you (probably) don't know about the Seahawks linebacker:
1. He's strategic with his eye black on gameday.
Irvin:"I used to wear a dark visor [on my helmet], but they started fining me for it. When I used to wear my visor, then I would wear eye black, too, and it kind of looked scary because it was a black visor and my face would be black. But I don't know, it's just something I like doing. It's an intimidation factor, I guess. Does it scare you?"
2. He has a dog, but he's not a dog person.
Irvin:"I've got a Labradoodle named Leo. My wife wanted it, so I just said yes."
3. He's a disciplinarian dad.
Irvin: "I mean, that's how I was brought up. I think I'm a disciplinarian until I have a girl. My little boy is a handful, so I have to discipline him sometimes. He's in the typical terrible twos stage, just into everything."
https://www.instagram.com/p/6vxHbVGOxA/
4. He can explain this Instagram photo.
Irvin:"[Laughs] We were just walking in the 'hood. You know, we got the only house on the block paid for, so we feel like we can do that. That is funny, though. .. Whatever [my son] Bray wants to do, I'm down to do it with him. I think we were just going to the mailbox, actually. People were looking at us crazy, too."
https://www.instagram.com/p/5I13d6mO0e/
5. His favorite Twitter account is Jon Ryan.
Irvin: "I don't really post stuff, I just creep on other people. Jon Ryan, he is hilarious on Twitter. On Instagram, probably Kam [Chancellor]. Kam posts some pretty interesting stuff."
6. Michael Bennett makes him laugh the most.
Irvin: "He's one of a kind, no filter. That's my man, he's one of the best teammates I ever had. He's gonna ride with you, he's gonna tell you when you're wrong, tell you when you're right. He's just a great guy all around."
7. He's growing his hair back, and he doesn't think Richard Sherman should ever cut his.
Irvin: "No, because I couldn't even imagine Richard without dreads, could you? But I couldn't imagine myself without dreads, and then I cut 'em, and I thought I looked better without dreads, so ... I don't know. I had dreads for six years. I'm [growing my hair] right now."
8. He doesn't know all the words to the West Virginia University theme song.
Irvin: "Dang, you're going to hit me with that? I actually do not know the words. They play it all the time [in the football stadium], but I never took the time to learn it. I know some of the words. ... [Starts singing] 'Take me home, country roads / To the place I belong / West Virginia ...' [trails off]. I actually know a lot of it."
https://youtu.be/1vrEljMfXYo
9. He can, however, sing along to Phil Collins' "In The Air Tonight."
Irvin: "I like Phil Collins. I only like one song by Phil Collins. [Starts singing] 'I can feel it ...' you know what I'm talking about? I used to listen to it when I was younger, when I was getting ready for football games. I'd sit in a room in the dark and just play that."
https://youtu.be/YkADj0TPrJA
10. He's not a fan of chicken in the Dominican Republic.
Irvin: "I've only been out of the country once, and that was to DR, and I didn't really like that. I don't know, the food was just different. The chicken didn't taste like chicken."
11. His dream vacation destination is Turks and Caicos.
Irvin: "Because all the rappers talk about it."
12. He doesn't cry at the movies.
Irvin: "Cry? I'm a thug. I don't cry. You know what makes me sad, though? Lone Survivor makes me sad. I think you should see it."
https://youtu.be/yoLFk4JK_RM
