David Irving Wants You to Thank Him for NFL's Evolving Stance on Weed

After representatives of the NFL and NFLPA met earlier this week, both parties announced they would explore the use of medical marijuana for pain management by players.

One player would like some credit for this development. Or rather, a recently retired player who is known to partake in the ganja: former Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle David Irving.

"Honestly I’m happy but I feel like I need some credit, though. Really," Irving told Sports Illustrated's MMQB. "Everyone was telling me how crazy I am and, what, two months after I make that stand they’re now openly making changes and having discussions. I love it."

Irving memorably announced his decision to quit football after he was suspended indefinitely by the league for violating it's substance abuse policy. While many construed it as Irving choosing marijuana over football, he stressed that he chose his well-being over the NFL.

"I’m a real human being. I have real problems," Irving said. "I come from poverty. I have family issues. I have sole custody of my daughter. [Marijuana] helped me outside of football. The only way I could deal with football was with my medication, and they took it away from me. And you see what happened with football. They didn’t kick me off. I quit. I chose. Because it is that important to me and nobody’s going to tell me I have to take opioids over smoking marijuana."

The former Cowboy wasn't the only person to speak out about the NFL's supposed switched stance on marijuana. Recently retired defensive end Chris Long revealed that he regularly used marijuana throughout his playing career to handle the daily stresses of being a professional football player.

Former NFL players have advocated for marijuana over the use of opioids due to the risk of addiction. With the NFL exploring the possibility of loosening their stance on weed, David Irving just wants a "thank you" for raising awareness. And when the dust settles, he may have a point.