Indianapolis Colts owner and chief executive officer Jim Irsay, who spent his career in the NFL, has died Wednesday afternoon, the team announced. He was 65.
“We are devastated to announce our beloved Owner & CEO, Jim Irsay, passed away peacefully in his sleep this afternoon,” Colts chief operating officer Pete Ward said in a statement from the team. “Jim’s dedication and passion for the Indianapolis Colts in addition to his generosity, commitment to the community, and most importantly, his love for his family were unsurpassed. Our deepest sympathies go to his daughters, Carlie Irsay-Gordon, Casey Foyt, Kalen Jackson, and his entire family as we grieve with them.”
The youngest owner in league history at 37 when he took over the franchise in 1997, Irsay rose up through the organization — including becoming the NFL’s youngest general manager at 24 in 1984 — after his father, Robert Irsay, purchased the Baltimore franchise in 1972.
The Colts relocated to Indianapolis in 1984. Jim Irsay was general manager and vice president from 1984-93 before becoming the owner, chairman and CEO in 1997. He was colorful, ouspoken and blunt in his opinions, including on league matters.
“Some of Jim’s fondest memories came from his youth working training camps in Baltimore and growing relationships with players, coaches, and staff, whom he considered his extended family,” the Colts’ statement read. “He worked in every department before he was named the youngest general manager in team history in 1984 when the Colts arrived in Indianapolis.
“After he took sole ownership in 1997, he led the Colts to a long series of division titles and brought the city its first Super Bowl Championship,” the statement continued. “Jim’s love and appreciation for the NFL in addition to its history, tradition and principles influenced him to become a steward of the game throughout his 50-plus years in the League.”
The Colts won the Super Bowl in the 2006 season, beating the Chicago Bears 29-17 in Super Bowl XLI. Indianapolis then fell to the New Orleans Saints 31-17 in Super Bowl XLIV to conclude the 2009 season.
Over 38 years under Jim Irsay’s involvement with the franchise from 1984-2024, the Colts went 316-294-1 in the regular season and 13-16 in the playoffs.
“We were deeply saddened to learn of Jim Irsay’s passing today,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “Jim was a friend, and a man deeply committed to his family, the game, the Colts, and the Indianapolis community. He spent his life and career in the National Football League. Starting as a teenager as a Colts’ ballboy, he learned every position in the organization before assuming leadership of the Colts approximately 30 years ago. Jim’s Colts won the Super Bowl, hosted another and built Lucas Oil Stadium.”
Goodell noted Irsay’s participation in league operations as the active chairman of the legislative committee and a member of the finance committee.
“He led with integrity, passion and care for the Colts’ players, coaches and staff, and his courageous work in support of mental health will be a lasting legacy,” Goodell said in the statement. “Outside of football, he was a talented musician and built an extraordinary collection of historical and musical artifacts that he shared with people across the country.
“On behalf of the entire NFL, I extend my heartfelt condolences to Jim’s daughters and their families, and to his many friends throughout the NFL.”
The Colts’ statement also mentioned Irsay’s passion for music, which included fronting the Jim Irsay Band and acquiring classic guitars as well as a vast collection of memorabilia — part of his outgoing persona.
“Jim’s generosity can be felt all over Indianapolis, the state of Indiana and the country,” the Colts said in the statement. “He made philanthropy a daily endeavor. He never hesitated to help countless organizations and individuals live better lives.
“Music was one of Jim’s passions and the ability to share his band and collection with millions of people across the world brought him tremendous joy. Simply put, he wanted to make the world a better place and that philosophy never wavered. Jim will be deeply missed by his family, the Colts organization and fans everywhere, but we remain inspired by his caring and unique spirit.”
In February 2024, Irsay took to social media to reveal that his health was improving after he was hospitalized for a severe respiratory illness.
“On the mend. Grateful for all the messages of love and support,” Irsay wrote on Twitter.
The Colts released a statement on Jan. 9, 2024, saying Irsay was undergoing treatment for the illness.
On Dec. 8, 2023, per a police report, Irsay, then 64, was found unresponsive in his home in Carmel, Ind., prompting emergency personnel to administer Narcan, which is commonly used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.
Irsay revealed during a November 2023 interview on HBO’s “Real Sports With Bryant Gumbel” that he had battled addiction and nearly died from a previous overdose. He said he had been to rehab “at least 15 times.”
He publicly credited Alcoholics Anonymous for positively impacting his life and that organization’s 12-step program has “literally saved hundreds of thousands or millions of lives,” Irsay told ESPN in 2024.
–Field Level Media
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