Michael Irvin is PLEADING with Americans to find a cure for cancer ... 'cause the NFL Hall of Famer tells TMZ Sports just the fear of having it alone "paralyzed" him.
"Think about that. I was paralyzed with fear. And, I just lived with the fear of it," Irvin told us hours after learning of his cancer-free diagnosis.
"We are too great of a country with the smartest people in the world -- we gotta do something to come up with a cure for this."
Irvin spent most of last week terrified he might have throat cancer after doctors were concerned about the way he lost his voice for a lengthy period of time during the NFL season.