Cowboys great Michael Irvin pays 3-word tribute to Hulk Hogan after WWE legend's death at 71

The creator of "Hulkamania," Terry "Hulk Hogan" Bollea, a member of the WWE Hall of Fame, died on Thursday at the age of 71. All spaces worldwide were rocked by the news of Bollea's death, including the NFL community.

Following the news of Hulk Hogan's death, several NFL players, including three-time Super Bowl champion and Dallas Cowboys legendary receiver Michael Irvin, paid respects to the late wrestler.

In his homage, Irvin shared an old photo featuring himself and Hulkster on X. Bollea was seen smiling while wearing his signature bandana and shades in the photo, which was taken inside a stadium suite. Irvin, wearing a plaid suit, was beaming brightly next to him.

Irvin posted the photo with the comment:

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"RIP MY BROTHER @HULKHOGAN."

Hulk Hogan, as the brand's face throughout its surge in prominence in the 1980s, steered WWE (formerly WWF) through its transformation into a global corporation.

Hulk Hogan won the WWE Championship five times during his active career. He held the title of WWE Champion for 1,474 days, the longest reign of any WrestleMania period.

Irvin is not the only well-known NFL figure to honor Terry Bollea. Pat McAfee, legendary tight end Rob Gronkowski, Fox Sports pundit Troy Aikman and former New England Patriots receiver Julian Edelman also paid tribute to the wrestling icon on social media.

Hulk Hogan reportedly died from cardiac arrest

Reports concerning Hulk Hogan's failing health, including claims that he was near death, surfaced approximately a month ago. His wife, Sky, denied those reports, claiming that Hogan was recuperating from a neck surgery done in May and his heart was healthy.

The legendary wrestler died on Thursday after police and emergency healthcare workers received a call to his Clearwater, Florida, home in the morning. It has been reported that the Clearwater Police responded to a call regarding a cardiac arrest and showed up at Hogan's residence.

According to TMZ and PEOPLE, medics tried to resuscitate him at home for about half an hour by doing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). After that, they stretched him out and drove him to a local hospital via ambulance. Shortly after 11:00 AM, he was declared dead, but no official cause of death was provided at the time.

Edited by Chaitanya Prakash