The Colts announced Wednesday Irsay died peacefully in his sleep.
INDIANAPOLIS — Colts Nation is devastated upon hearing of the passing of Colts owner Jim Irsay.
His commitment to Indianapolis started back in 1984, one month after Indianapolis welcomed the Colts to town.
Jim Irsay was named general manager and vice president of his father’s team.
He took over day-to-day operations in 1996.
The next year, he became the youngest NFL owner at just 37 years old.
Irsay always said what was on his mind and was the most outspoken owner in the league — leading the way on many major decisions about the game he loved.
Irsay wasn’t afraid to invest in his team to win.
The Peyton Manning era lasted 13 seasons and was the glory days under Irsay’s leadership. His most cherished moment came in 2007 when his team won the Super Bowl.
Irsay was also known for taking some chances, like when he fired Frank Reich and hired Jeff Saturday to lead the team, despite the fact Saturday had never coached in the NFL.
Under his leadership, the Colts racked up more than 260 wins, 10 divisional titles and made the playoffs 18 times.
Irsay loved the Colts, but he also loved giving back to the community. He had a heart of gold and was known for showing up at training camp and handing out $100 bills to fans. He would often give millions to local organizations, including Riley Hospital for Children, the Wheeler Mission and the YMCA.
Irsay loved rock-and-roll and formed the Jim Irsay Band, performing with some of the biggest names in the business.
He also loved history, spending millions of dollars to buy historic items. The Irsay Collection is one of the biggest private collections in the world, but he didn’t keep it private. Irsay wanted to share the collection with fans, and he would display items during free concerts around the country.
Irsay also openly admitted he had demons to fight.
In March 2014, he was arrested for a DUI and drug possession. He spent an extended time in rehab, but came back strong.
In 2020, Irsay and his family started the Kicking the Stigma Foundation to raise awareness of mental health issues and the shame associated with it. The foundation is very successful and impacting millions.
Irsay is survived by his three daughters and 10 grandchildren that he dearly loves.
His legacy and impact on Indiana will not be forgotten.
Jim Irsay was 65 years old.