The Irons Family Legacy

The Irons family has a history of professional athletes such as Gerald Irons and Leroy Jackson and he is the cousin of Grant Irons, Jarrett Irons and Paul Irons.

Gerald Irons played linebacker for the Oakland Raiders Silver and Black for six years. Though he was part of numerous memorable games in NFL history, his greatest thrill came long after his playing career ended. In 2003 the Raiders signed free agent Grant Irons, Gerald’s son, to a contract. Father and son couldn’t have been happier. It was the culmination of years spent in the backyard of the family home in The Woodlands, Texas, north of Houston. Father and sons (Gerald has three sons: Gerald, Jr., Jarrett, and Grant) trained together as Dad regaled his boys with tales of the Silver and Black. Gerald ran wind sprints, lifted weights, and watched games with his sons. And in between it all were more stories about the Raiders.

“I felt right at home,” Grant said of following in his father’s footsteps. “I grew up on the Raiders. They were my role models, my heroes. I remember my dad telling us bedtime stories; they weren’t your typical bedtime stories. They were stories about the Greatness of the Raiders.”

Leroy Jackson,1982 - Leroy was one of the fastest men ever to wear a Leatherneck football uniform. He was an All-American in football and track and field. He was the number one draft choice of running back for the Washington Redskins in 1961.

Grant Irons, a defensive linebacker for the Oakland Raiders. He played in 43 career games for the University of Notre Dame, making 26 starts at numerous positions on defense. He started playing for the Buffalo Bills in 2002. He was awarded the Dial Award for the national high-school scholar-athlete of the year in 1996.

Jarrett Irons, University of Michigan Football, All-American, 1996, Team Co-Captain, 1995, 1996. Jarrett, a two-time team captain and two-time All Big Ten pick, Jarrett Irons finished his career ranked second on Michigan's career tackles list.

A native of The Woodlands, Texas, Irons anchored a defense that was third best in the nation against the rush in 1995. Named a first team All-American by the Associated Press, and American Football Coaches Association in 1996, Irons finished his career averaging over 100 tackles per season.

Paul Irons, a Tight End with the Cleveland Browns and previously played for the Florida State Seminoles.