Rams’ Irvin Denies He Has Been Subject of NFL Investigation

Veteran cornerback LeRoy Irvin of the Rams, an aspiring boxing promoter who was quoted as saying last week in a Times story that he was being investigated by the NFL because of his friendship with boxing figure Harold Smith, denied Wednesday that such was the case.

” . . . I have not been and am not currently being investigated,” Irvin said in a statement.

An accompanying letter on Ram stationery said that Irvin “is not now the subject of any ongoing investigations being contacted by the National Football League. Nor has he ever been to the best of our knowledge.” The letter was signed by Jack Faulkner, administrator of football operations for the Rams, and by Robert McNeal, security representative of the NFL.

In the story last Friday, Irvin spoke directly to a Times reporter for 10 minutes and was quoted as saying, in response to the question of whether the NFL was investigating his relationship with Smith: “Yeah, they’re out to get me. It’s because Harold is my friend, I guess. It’s all being coordinated by the L.A. office of the (California) Athletic Commission.”

That conversation was taped by The Times reporter. Also, an NFL source confirmed the investigation to a Times reporter, but said the league would not do so publicly.