Miami’s former legendary wide receiver Michael Irvin is expressing his emotions after Hurricanes star Malachi Toney suffered a serious injury ahead of the Notre Dame game.
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Though the two don’t share a deep bond, Irvin admires Toney’s game. Last year, Toney mentioned how he looks up to Irvin and how his presence on the sidelines has helped him.
“It’s great,” Toney told Jordan McPherson of the Miami Herald in 2025. “Being around a great wide receiver that did a lot of things that I want to do is… Having him around is a really big deal… I come back to the sideline, and it’s like, ‘Wow, that’s really Michael Irvin there cheering me on.’ It’s just a blessing.”
Irvin also praised him last season after his performance against Florida State.
“One of the best freshmen I’ve ever seen,” Irvin told CBS Sports after dapping Toney. “One of the best freshmen we’ve ever seen. Ever. Not just (now). Ever.”
Toney is also chasing Michael Irvin’s touchdown record. He has 23 career receiving touchdowns so far in the 2026 season, just five behind Irvin’s 26.
The concern comes after Malachi Toney injured his ankle during Wednesday’s practice after getting tangled up with a defensive player. He suffered a high ankle sprain, and doctors believe surgery will give him a better chance of returning this season. The operation is expected to happen as soon as Thursday, and his recovery could take four to six weeks.
Toney’s injury means he is likely to miss Miami’s game against Notre Dame.
Last year, he had a memorable moment in the game. After Miami’s 27-24 win over Notre Dame, Malachi Toney dropped to his knees to celebrate the emotional victory. Michael Irvin came over and put his hands on Toney to congratulate him.
Toney later shared Irvin’s message to him after the game: “He said, ‘Just keep going, put your foot on their neck, don’t let up.’”
However, Miami is hoping he can return for the College Football Playoff. The first round is scheduled for December 18-19, while the quarterfinals will be played between December 30 and January 1.
If Miami wins the ACC Championship and earns a top-four seed, it will receive a first-round bye and play in the quarterfinals. That would give Toney around eight weeks to recover before the team takes the field again. This could give him enough time to get healthy and help Miami during its playoff run.
Losing Toney would be a major setback for Miami because he has been a key player since joining the team last year. He has played in all 24 of the Hurricanes’ games so far.
Last season, he led the nation with 109 catches. He now has 182 career receptions, just 18 short of Miami’s all-time record of 200, set by Xavier Restrepo over five seasons. Toney has reached this point in only his second year at Miami.
Even Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman praised him.
“He’s as good as anyone you’ll see,” Freeman said earlier this week.
Miami still has other wide receivers who can help while Toney is injured. Daylyn Upshaw, Vandrevious Jacobs and Samourian Wingo could get more chances to play and catch passes. The Hurricanes have other offensive players to rely on, but they will need to adjust their game plan because they will be without their leading receiver.
Now, let’s wait and see how the team holds up against Notre Dame without him.