Back in 2009, Dallas Cowboys legend Michael Irvin did something that had never been done before. At the time, the idea of getting a spot at the Cowboys’ training camp through a TV show sounded unreal. But Irvin did exactly that by hosting Spike TV’s ‘4th and Long’ show, which featured a competition between six wide receivers and six defensive backs. At the time, plenty of people questioned the show’s legitimacy, but somehow, Irvin made it work.

The first season produced a legitimate success story when Jesse Holley won the competition and later played for the Cowboys. Even so, Spike TV never renewed the show for another season because the network prioritized other shows that could sustain high ratings and justify production costs. But now, Michael Irvin has just announced that his show is ready to make a comeback after 17 years.

“Y’all ask me all the things I’m doing, of course, the show on Netflix and everything,” Michael Irvin said on the DLLS Sports on Tuesday. “But in about seven days, I really am going to sign that contract for the return of ‘4th and Long.’ Another check for Jesse. Jesse’s definitely going.

“I promise you, in like seven days out, we’ve got DJ, he was on the first show. We hired him back for this show, too. So, we’re looking forward to it. Imma have Jesse on the show as my receivers coach, and he’ll be out there getting it together, man. I’m so excited about it.”

In 2009, the Cowboys were coming off a disappointing 9-7 season, which ended without a playoff appearance for the first time since 2005. Fans and analysts already believed off-field distractions had hurt the Cowboys, so adding a reality show into the mix only intensified the backlash. But ‘4th and Long’ never operated like HBO’s reality show ‘Hard Knocks.’

Nobody on Michael Irvin’s show actually belonged to the Cowboys organization. Irvin created the show through his close relationship with Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, but the production focused on independent athletes fighting for an opportunity rather than documenting the team itself.

“Ultimately, it’s called ‘4th and Long’ because it is a long shot,” Irvin revealed in an interview back in 2009. “But this could be the start of a great career.”

Irvin’s show treated the football tryout process more seriously than many expected. It was filmed at the Cotton Bowl, and experienced coaches like Bill Bates and Joe Avezzano were brought in. Irvin’s show avoided fluff and emphasized conditioning, discipline, and competition throughout the 10 episodes. 

Contestants trained all day at the aging Cotton Bowl, slept in locker rooms, and fought through exhausting practices just to survive another week. Irvin also made sure the eventual winner represented the Cowboys properly. The show demanded toughness more than theatrics, which is why Irvin believes it could be a hit today. And beyond that, the only winner of Irvin’s show is excited to be a part of the show again. 

Michael Irvin’s show changed Jesse Holley’s life

Back in 2005, Jesse Holley played basketball at North Carolina and served as a backup guard on the Tar Heels’ national championship team. But Holley soon realized that his size (6’3”, 216 lbs) gave him a better chance in football than basketball. So, in 2007, he signed with the Cincinnati Bengals as a wide receiver, but the team released him after a short stint on the practice squad. He then joined a CFL team in 2008, but never got the chance to play a game. Then, Michael Irvin’s show entered his life at the right moment. 

On ‘4th and Long,’ Holley outlasted 11 other contestants to earn the 80th spot on the Cowboys’ training-camp roster. Most players in his position never come close to making an NFL roster. If you enter camp as the 80th NFL player on an 80-man roster, your odds are brutal. Yet Holley beat those odds.

“The Michael Irvin Project” survived training camp and made the Cowboys’ roster. He then spent two seasons in Dallas, recording 169 receiving yards on 7 catches in 28 games. A knee injury eventually ended his NFL career in 2012, but football still opened more doors for him.

“I can’t tell you just how much that show has changed my life,” Jesse Holley said on DLLS Sports on Tuesday.

Since retiring, Holley has built a career covering the Cowboys through podcasting and media work. Now, Holley is excited to return to the very show that changed his life – this time as a receivers coach. 

Ultimately, ‘4th and Long’ was never just another reality show. The people behind it genuinely want to help the Cowboys uncover overlooked talent. Now, with Michael Irvin leading the way again, there could certainly be more seasons to come with the show.