Bruce Irvin, Jimmy Graham square off during warmups

By Danny O’Neil

Television cameras captured an on-field confrontation between Saints tight end Jimmy Graham and Seahawks linebacker Bruce Irvin about two hours before Saturday’s game.

Saints tight end Jimmy Graham and Seahawks linebacker Bruce Irvin (not pictured) were involved in a dispute during warmups which Irvin said started when he told Graham to move off of Seattle’s side of the field. (AP)

Those cameras didn’t catch what started it, though, and Irvin explained after the game.

“Actually, he was warming up in our area,” Irvin said, “and I asked him to move, and he said, ‘I’m Jimmy.’ So I knocked the ball out of his hand and I kicked it across the field. So that’s how it started. That’s how it started.”

Wait a minute. He said, “I’m Jimmy?”

“He said, ‘I’m Jimmy,’ ” Irvin said, “And I was like, ‘Who the (heckfire) is Jimmy?’ So I knocked the ball out and kicked it across the field. And that’s when he took my hat off.”

Irvin was wearing a ski mask that covered most of his face, but he had a hat that was knocked off.

“He just popped it off,” Irvin said.

Only one question left: How would Irvin evaluate his boot of the ball Graham was warming up with?

“More like a little inside-the-20-type of kick,” Irvin said. “We’re on the 50-yard line trying to down ’em and it’s in the red-zone area. That type of kick.”