A graduate of McMaster University, Irwin joined the Montreal Alouettes in 1964. Catching 11 passes for 156 yards and 2 touchdowns, he won the Gruen Trophy as the best rookie in the east (this during a time when only Canadians could win the award.) He played another season with the Als, catching only 2 passes for 25 yards, and then went on to a 3 year stay with the Toronto Argonauts. As a Double Blue he hauled in 54 passes for 1162 yards and 8 TDs. He played one season with the Edmonton Eskimos (26 catches for 445 yards) and a final season with the Hamilton Tiger-Cats (5 catches for 87 yards and 1 TD.)[1]
