Jim Irsay, owner of the Indianapolis Colts, dies at 65
The Colts said that Irsay, 65, died 'peacefully in his sleep' Wednesday afternoon. The team did not specify a cause of death.
'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,' the Colts said in their statement.
The announcement came hours after the NFL's team owners completed a two-day meeting at a Minneapolis-area hotel. Irsay had been absent from the meeting, just as he'd missed other such owners' meetings in recent months while struggling with health and mobility issues. But he'd remained in touch with people throughout the league and had stayed involved in team and NFL business.
'We were deeply saddened to learn of Jim Irsay's passing today,' NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a written 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.'
Irsay was an NFL lifer who was named the Colts' general manager in 1984 under his late father, Robert Irsay, who moved the team from Baltimore to Indianapolis. Jim Irsay took over sole ownership of the franchise in 1997.
'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 said. 'He worked in every department before he was named the youngest general manager in team history. … [H]e led the Colts to a long series of division titles and brought the city its first Super Bowl Championship [as owner].'
The Colts were among the NFL's most successful franchises in the early 2000s, with Tony Dungy as their coach and Peyton Manning as their quarterback. They reached the playoffs in seven straight seasons under Dungy and won a Super Bowl title in the 2006 season. Manning became an all-time great in a Colts uniform and established the league's top rivalry with his New England Patriots counterpart, Tom Brady.
'I am heartbroken to hear about Jim Irsay's passing,' Manning wrote on social media. 'He was an incredibly generous and passionate owner and I will always be indebted to him for giving me my start in the NFL. His love for the Colts and the city of Indy was unmatched. His impact on the players who played for him will not be forgotten. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and everyone in the Colts community. He will be missed.'
The team returned to the Super Bowl in the 2009 season under Dungy's coaching successor, Jim Caldwell, but lost to the New Orleans Saints. The Colts reached the playoffs in the 2010 season but went 2-14 in 2011 as Manning was sidelined by a neck injury. He moved on to the Denver Broncos.
The Colts thought they had their next iconic quarterback when they selected Andrew Luck with the top overall choice in the 2012 NFL draft. But Luck, after a promising start to his NFL career, struggled with injuries and shockingly retired just before the 2019 season. The Colts have been unable to find consistent success in recent seasons, with a revolving door of starting quarterbacks and a succession of coaches. Irsay drew criticism for naming Jeff Saturday, Manning's former center who had a dearth of coaching experience, the team's interim head coach during the 2022 season after firing Frank Reich.
Irsay often spoke of his respect for NFL traditions. He was a power broker within the league who served on the NFL's influential finance committee, which oversaw major transactions such as the $6.05 billion sale of the Washington Commanders from Daniel Snyder to Josh Harris in 2023 and Brady's purchase of a minority ownership stake in the Las Vegas Raiders last year.
The Raiders called Irsay 'one of professional football's most passionate stewards' and said in a statement: 'Jim's love of the Colts and appreciation for the NFL was evident in his tireless efforts to promote and improve the game, and his commitment to the Indianapolis community and generosity in his philanthropic efforts touched countless live.'
Said Goodell: '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. 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.'
Amid investigations into allegations of misconduct in the Commanders' workplace in 2022, Irsay became the first owner to say publicly that he and his peers should seriously consider removing Snyder from ownership of the team.
'That's not what we stand for in the National Football League,' Irsay said in October 2022 in New York. 'And I think owners have been painted incorrectly a lot of times by various people and under various situations. And that's not what we're about. … There's just a lot of closeness in this league. And I don't think, some of the things I've heard, it doesn't represent us at all. And I want the American public and the world to know what we're about as owners.'
Irsay had varied interests away from football. He was a musician whose band performed concerts before sizable crowds. He was an avid collector who owned rare and expensive guitars and other notable items, reportedly including the manuscript of Jack Kerouac's 'On the Road' and the founding document of Alcoholics Anonymous.
Irsay, his family and the Colts established the Kicking the Stigma Action Fund to address mental health issues. But Irsay also battled personal demons. He told HBO's 'Real Sports' last year he'd been to rehabilitation at least 15 times and had previously overdosed.
The NFL suspended Irsay for six games and fined him $500,000 under its personal conduct policy after he pleaded guilty in 2014 to a misdemeanor count of driving while intoxicated. He acknowledged to a judge that he was under the influence of painkillers when he was arrested near his home in an Indianapolis suburb.
Irsay was taken to a hospital in December 2023 after reportedly being found unresponsive and breathing abnormally.
Irsay has three daughters who could be in line to take over ownership of the Colts.
'Jim's generosity can be felt all over Indianapolis, the state of Indiana and the country,' the Colts said. '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.'
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