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(Irons) was the epitome of a scholar- athlete. When he was drafted by the Raiders as a student at Maryland State, he missed the first part of training camp to graduate because he had vowed to one of his business professors that he would finish the course and his degree."
D. Irons, Sr. Junior High School, in his honor. In 1984, Irons's alma mater named him to the University of Maryland- Eastern Shore Football Hall of Fame. The Raiders franchise named him an "Oakland Raiders Legend" while the Cleveland Browns franchise named Irons among the "100 Greatest Cleve- land Browns" of all time. He was named to the Indiana Football Hall of Fame in 2013. The Cleveland Jaycees named him its Man of the Year. He served as a national television spokesman for United Way. His hometown of Gary, IN be- stowed its "Outstanding Garyite Award" and a day was named in his honor. During Super Bowl LI festivities, the Shell Oil Company, an official sponsor of the Houston Super Bowl Committee, honored Irons at its Educator Event, held at the Houston Museum of Natural Science (HMNS). Shell recognized Irons at the event for his dedication to education in the Houston community. Brother Gerald D. Irons is survived by his loving wife of 50 years, Myrna; sons Gerald, Jr., Jarrett (Jazelle), and Grant; grandson, Gerald Irons, III and two beautiful young granddaughters, Bella and Zoe.
School at the University of Chicago. During his football career, he hosted the "PM Magazine Show" on television and the "Gerald Irons Sports Report" on the radio. After the 1975 season, the Raiders traded Irons to the Cleveland Browns, where he played four seasons and retired after the 1979 season. He attended Cleveland Marshall College of Law at night while playing linebacker for the Browns. In retirement from professional foot- ball, Irons moved to Houston, TX, where he worked 32 years with The Woodlands Development Company, a division of The Howard Hughes Corporation, as a Vice President of Business Develop- ment. Irons was also a motivational speaker, a graduate of the Houston FBI Citizens Academy, community board member of Texas Children's Hospital and Memorial Hermann Hospital. The Irons' Family were honored as "Original Hometown Heroes" in The Woodlands at the 25 th Year Celebration, selected by The Wood- lands residents. Gerald was an Elder and Founding Member of Impact Church of The Woodlands, Texas. Irons served 22 years on the Con- roe Independent School District Board of Trustees, where the school district named a junior high school, the Gerald
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