On Wednesday afternoon, the NFL was hit with some devastating information. At 65, Colts proprietor and CEO Jim Irsay handed away peacefully in his sleep.
Jim Irsay took over because the Colts’ principal proprietor in 1997. In his tenure, Indianapolis made 16 playoff appearances, received two AFC titles, and one Tremendous Bowl. Gamers, coaches, and followers mourned the lack of Jim Irasy. He’s survived by his daughters, Carlie Irsay-Gordon, Casey Foyt, and Kalen Jackson; his ex-wife and his daughters’ mom, Meg Coyle; and 10 grandchildren.
Lengthy-time Colts proprietor Jim Irsay died on Wednesday
Colts introduced the dying of their legendary proprietor Jim Irsay: pic.twitter.com/QPNdkJmJhv
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) Might 21, 2025
In 1984, Jim Irsay turned the youngest GM within the historical past of the NFL at simply 25. When his father died in 1997, Irsay turned the principal proprietor of the Indianapolis Colts. He was the NFL’s youngest proprietor on the time. Jim Irsay was the definition of an NFL lifer. As a child, Irsay frolicked within the locker room with Corridor of Fame QB Johnny Unitas. That’s the place his love for the sport grew at an early age, and that by no means wavered.
Former Colts punter and ESPN media member Pat McAfee shared a touching tribute to Jim Irsay on Wednesday night. McAfee had this to say.
“The first time he and I actually had an prolonged convo was at coaching camp after the lockout in 2011.. gamers and entrance workplace weren’t allowed to speak with one another in the course of the lockout however, Jim adopted me on Twitter all through the CBA negotiations.. his first day at coaching camp, instantly after the lockout ended, he drove his golf cart over to the place I used to be and began firing off questions on Twitter.. He loved the considered having the ability to join with Colts followers all around the world.. he appreciated the chance to have the ability to share a few of his ideas in his personal method.. and he completely LOVED the thought of having the ability to give cash/experiences/tickets/and so on. away to folks on Twitter.” – Pat McAfee
Moreover, former Colts head coach and Tremendous Bowl champion Tony Dungy shared his ideas by way of social media.
“After I obtained the information final evening that Jim Irsay had handed away in his sleep it was devastating to me. The Bible says in lots of locations that tomorrow just isn’t promised to us however I wasn’t prepared for this. Jim was one of many kindest, most compassionate folks I’ve ever recognized. He was superior to me and my household. He was a blessing to his gamers and employees. However greater than that he had a coronary heart for folks and for town of Indianapolis. He beloved folks and did so many issues for others—extra issues than you might think about. I miss him already. He was a particular man and I couldn’t have labored for a greater proprietor.” – Tony Dungy
Jim Irsay was a beloved determine within the Colts’ group and the remainder of the NFL. His love for the Colts and town of Indianapolis was unquestioned. Possession of the staff is predicted to be transferred to his daughters. In 2012, they had been every given an possession title and have lively roles within the group. His eldest daughter, Carlie Irsay-Gordon, is most actively concerned with the staff operations. We’ll see how the Colts function heading into the 2025 season.