The Colts’ proprietor, Jim Irsay, passed away on Wednesday. He had been the team’s leader since 1997 and was responsible for one of the franchise’s most distinguished periods. He was sixty-five years old.
“We are heartbroken to inform you that our esteemed Owner & CEO, Jim Irsay, passed away peacefully in his sleep this afternoon,” stated Pete Ward, the Chief Operating Officer of the Colts, in a statement issued by the team. “Jim’s generosity, commitment to the community, and most importantly, his love for his family, in addition to his dedication and passion for the Indianapolis Colts, were unparalleled.”
Irsay is survived by his ex-wife and daughters’ mother, Meg Coyle; his daughters Carlie Irsay-Gordon, Casey Foyt, and Kalen Jackson; and his ten grandchildren.
His eldest daughter, Irsay-Gordon, is considered the most involved in team operations and assumed his responsibilities during his 2014 NFL suspension resulting from a DWI arrest.
“We were profoundly saddened to learn of Jim Irsay’s passing today.” In a statement, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell stated that Jim was a man who was profoundly committed to his family, the game, the Colts, and the Indianapolis community, as well as as a friend. “His courageous efforts to advocate for mental health will be a lasting legacy, and he led with integrity, passion, and care for the Colts’ players, coaches, and staff.” I extend my sincere condolences to Jim’s daughters and their families, as well as to his numerous colleagues in the NFL, on behalf of the entire league.
Irsay’s health was the subject of scrutiny when he was hospitalized in December 2023 after first responders discovered him unresponsive in his bedroom. The incident was described by the police as a suspected overdose in a report. Irsay was not publicly visible for several weeks the following month, and the Colts issued a statement informing the public that he was receiving treatment for a “severe respiratory illness.”
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In the year following those incidents, Irsay had made a few public appearances; however, he had not been seen in recent times. He was not present at the NFL’s annual meeting in Palm Beach, Florida, in March or the league meeting in Eagan, Minnesota, this week. Additionally, he was not believed to have been present during the NFL draft last month.
Prior to their inaugural game of the Eastern Conference finals against the New York Knicks on Wednesday, he expressed his enthusiasm for the Indiana Pacers and their owner, Herb Simon, on social media. He wrote, “Go PACERS.” Herb, the @Pacers organization, and our city deserve the best of success.
Peyton Manning, the quarterback of the Indianapolis Colts and a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, was among those who expressed their sorrow over Irsay’s passing.
Manning shared on social media that she was devastated to learn of Jim Irsay’s demise. “He was an owner who was both generous and passionate, and I will forever be grateful to him for providing me with the opportunity to enter the NFL.” His devotion to the Colts and the community of Indianapolis was unparalleled. The athletes who were under his guidance will never forget the influence he had on them. His family and the entire Colts community are in my thoughts and prayers. He will be sorely missed. Jim, may you rest in peace, my friend.
At 37 years old, Irsay assumed principal ownership of the Colts following the conclusion of a legal dispute with his stepmother and the death of his father, Bob. At the time, he was the youngest proprietor in the NFL, but he would become one of its most influential figures during his tenure as the club’s head.
Irsay was a prominent member of the NFL’s finance committee and served as the chief of the legislative committee. He was already profoundly involved in league affairs prior to assuming sole ownership in 1997. Irsay was a member of a group of four executives who were appointed by then-NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle in the 1980s to design the salary cap that would become the league’s standard.
However, he maintained a public persona that was in direct opposition to the expectations of a billionaire NFL owner, while simultaneously fulfilling those official responsibilities. Among a peer group that typically endeavors to avoid the spotlight, Irsay earned a reputation for his flamboyant personality, as he was always outspoken and eccentric.
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Irsay was unquestionably his own man, from strumming his instrument and belting out a tune with the Jim Irsay Band to his unpredictable posts on social media. He was known to distribute wads of $100 bills to supporters at Colts training camp practices and to organize trivia contests for fans on social media. The winners would receive Colts tickets or even all-expenses-paid trips to road games or Super Bowls.
In a time when NFL owners are becoming more and more involved in a variety of other industries, Irsay was an NFL lifer whose most valuable asset was his team. He had been around the league for such a long time that he held cherished recollections of rubbing shoulders with quarterback Johnny Unitas while hanging out in the locker room as a child in Baltimore.
It is possible that Irsay’s reverence for the NFL’s architects was always evident due to this perspective. He was one of a small number of league owners whose influence extended across both current and previous generations.
He once stated, “I was instructed by those who preceded me,” before mentioning the names of legendary proprietors. “George Halas, Dan Rooney, Lamar Hunt, and Wellington Mara.” I was truly taught to be a steward by it.
For the Colts, Irsay supervised an era of immense success. Since Irsay assumed ownership, Indianapolis has achieved the sixth-highest number of victories in the National Football League. From the time Bob Irsay relocated the franchise to Indianapolis in 1984 until the younger Irsay assumed control, the Colts experienced the eighth-most losses in the league. This success was the result of a period of sustained futility.
The Colts reached two Super Bowls during Irsay’s tenure, ultimately claiming Super Bowl XLI following the 2006 season. A photograph of Irsay that was captured on February 4, 2007, is likely the most memorable image of him. The Lombardi Trophy is held aloft in his right hand, and he is oblivious to the rain falling. He is basking in the franchise’s greatest moment in a generation.
Irsay spent a significant amount of time in the interim yearning for another Super Bowl victory, but he was ultimately unsuccessful. He expressed his belief that a run that would culminate in multiple championships was beginning on numerous occasions in recent years; however, this aspiration was ultimately shattered by a multitude of obstacles.
He once made an informal remark in 2019 about the possibility of winning three consecutive titles, which was absurd given that the Colts had not won a division title since 2014.
However, he defended the statement by stating, “When I said three in a row, that’s because how can you get up and go to work without accepting the desire to be the absolute best?” I am unable to comprehend any other perspective.
Irsay was undeniably a visionary; however, reality frequently had other plans. Tom Brady’s exceptional performance, Manning’s neck injury, and Andrew Luck’s abrupt retirement were all factors that contributed to Irsay’s failure to achieve his objectives.
In 2012, Irsay was the focal point of one of the franchise’s most challenging decisions. He made the ultimate decision to release Manning, the first overall selection in the 1998 draft. One of the most remarkable roster moves in league history was the result of an uncertain future due to a neck injury and the team’s financial circumstances.
During a tearful joint news conference with Manning, Irsay described the occasion as “a difficult day here of shared pain between Peyton, myself, the fans — everyone.” Manning expressed his dissatisfaction with the situation, stating, “It’s not what either of us wanted.” He had spent both of his professional careers with Indianapolis.
Irsay subsequently recollected the hours following the Colts’ acquisition of the No. 1 pick in the 2012 draft on the final day of the 2011 season, which enabled the selection of Luck and, as a result, rendered Manning’s release a virtual certainty.
In 2014, he disclosed to NFL.com, “I simply wept in front of my daughters.” “I was aware in my heart that the era had come to an end, simply because of the emotion associated with the statement, ‘That era has ended.'”
Aside from his family and team, Irsay’s primary interests included being a prominent collector. He transformed what was once a mere expensive hobby into an identity over the years, establishing the Jim Irsay Collection, a traveling exhibit that is now renowned worldwide. It comprises over 500 of the world’s most distinctive items, including Muhammad Ali’s championship title from the “Rumble in the Jungle” and what is widely regarded as the world’s most comprehensive collection of classic guitars.
Irsay made substantial investments in the collection over the past two decades, with estimates of his expenditures exceeding the tens of millions of dollars. He would go to considerable lengths to secure an item if he desired it so badly. Irsay once outbid Ed Glazer, the co-owner of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, for an Elton John piano that was sold at auction for $915,000. According to ESPN, Irsay declined a purchase offer for the collection from an unidentified individual in the Middle East that surpassed $1 billion last year.
It is crucial to note that Irsay consistently maintained that the “Big Book,” the manuscript that served as the foundation for Alcoholics Anonymous, was his most treasured possession in the collection. The item resonated with Irsay on a level that other objects in the collection could not, as a result of his decades-long battles with addiction.
“Those 12 steps have literally saved hundreds of thousands or millions of lives,” Irsay stated to ESPN. “My grandfather passed away in 1927, eight years prior to the establishment of AA.” “And there was no hope for him.” They would simply confine individuals in sanitariums during that period.
“I have been able to bridge the dam of generations and say, ‘Stop! No more!’ as a result of those 12 steps.” The ongoing conflict will not result in the dissolution and destruction of these families.
The father of Irsay was widely recognized for his alcoholism and is remembered by many for his fiery temper. The younger Irsay observed the obstacles imposed by his father’s alcoholism, yet he was frequently unable to overcome his own vices.
In a November 2023 interview with HBO Sports, Irsay disclosed that he had undergone rehabilitation at least fifteen times. It is believed that one of those instances occurred following his 2014 arrest in Carmel, Indiana, for driving while intoxicated. Later that year, Irsay entered a guilty plea to a single misdemeanor charge and was subsequently sentenced to one year of probation.
In recent years, the Irsay family has played a leading role in the endeavor to address mental health and addiction challenges. This was achieved through the “Kicking the Stigma” fundraising campaign, which Irsay consistently promoted. He was motivated to contribute to the cause by his personal struggles with addiction, and his membership in the league provided him with access to potential donors.
The Irsays have distributed $31 million in grants to organizations in the mental health and related fields as part of the Kicking the Stigma initiative.
It is anticipated that the Colts will be transferred to Irsay’s daughters in the future. In 2012, each individual was granted an ownership title and has maintained an active presence within the organization for an extended period. The extent to which the daughters received a portion of the team, if any, and the prospective estate tax implications are still uncertain.
However, Irsay’s intentions have consistently been unambiguous. He was unequivocal about his intentions when he assumed ownership from his father.
“We are retaining the entire team,” he stated, “and I am transferring it to my children.”
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