Jim Irsay, longtime Colts owner, dead at 65

Jim Irsay, the longtime owner of the Colts, died at the age of 65.

In a statement, the team said that he had passed away peacefully in his sleep in the afternoon, but no cause of death was given. 

Irsay’s death came as a shock to football fans and was heartbreaking to Indianapolis sports fans upon the announcement. 

His passing came a few weeks shy of what would have been his 66th birthday. 

“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,” Colts COO Pete Ward said in a statement. 

Irsay has dealt with various health issues in the past, but it wasn’t immediately clear if he had been dealing with anything recently. He had been posting to social media earlier in the day. 

He had posted to his X account a message wishing the Pacers “good luck” ahead of their Eastern Conference Finals opener with the Knicks, which was taking place at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday night. 

The Colts found success under Irsay’s stewardship after taking over as owner in 1997 at the age of 37 years old, making him the youngest owner in the NFL, following the death of his farther Bob. 

“We were deeply saddened to learn of Jim Irsay’s passing today. 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,” NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. 

The Colts had 14 winning seasons under Irsay and won a Super Bowl title in 2007 with him as the owner. 

They won over 260 games, captured 10 divisional titles and made the playoffs on 18 occasions. 

And he was at the helm during the prime of Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning’s time in Indy, as well as Andrew Luck’s tenure with the Colts. 

Irsay had served as the Colts’ general manager from 1984 through 1996.

He had served on the NFL’s finance committee and chaired the legislative committee, and had been part of a group put together by then-NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle in 1980s that helped come up with what eventually became the NFL’s salary cap. 

“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,” Ward said. 

Irsay had been open with his vices as well, telling HBO in an interview that he had been to rehab 15 times, but said he had not had an alcoholic beverage since 2002. 

He had been arrested in 2014 for DUI and drug possession, for which he later pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor count and was sentenced to a year of probation. 

He was also suspended from the league over the incident. 

Irsay and his family started a foundation called Kicking the Stigma Foundation in 2020 to raise awareness of mental health issues, along with the shame associated with it, and he has been very philanthropic in the Indianapolis community with various charities. 

“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,” Goodell said.