Colts' Jim Irsay out of the blue passes away at age 65

Jim Irsay, longtime proprietor of the Indianapolis Colts, shockingly handed away Wednesday. Irsay was 65 years of age.

The Colts’ X account confirmed the sudden dying of Irsay, who has been with the franchise since 1984.

“We’re devastated to announce our beloved proprietor and CEO, Jim Irsay, handed away peacefully in his sleep this afternoon,” the assertion on X learn. “Jim’s dedication and fervour for the Indianapolis Colts, along with his generosity, dedication to the group, and most significantly, his love for his household have been unsurpassed.”

Irsay suffered a medical scare again in December of 2023, although he resumed his duties as proprietor/CEO for the 2024 season.

Irsay grew to become vice chairman/normal supervisor in 1984 earlier than proudly owning the franchise in 1997. He took over for his father, Bob. However he grew to become famend for luring in notable franchise legends who modified the tradition in Indy.

Jim Irsay turned the Colts right into a championship model

Irsay took over the possession function one yr earlier than claiming the primary general decide within the NFL Draft.

He helped facilitate the choice of a younger quarterback named Peyton Manning. The highest decide of the 1998 draft produced a celebrated profession that includes Professional Bowls and NFL information. However Manning, Irsay, and the Colts reached a brand new pinnacle within the 2006 season: successful Tremendous Bowl XLI over the Chicago Bears.

Irsay delivered different franchise-changing strikes. He employed Tony Dungy as head coach in 2002, who guided Indianapolis to that famed Tremendous Bowl win. Irsay later helped draft Manning’s eventual successor, Andrew Luck, within the 2012 NFL Draft. Luck took Indy to the AFC title recreation in his rookie season and performed in 4 Professional Bowls.

The longtime Colts proprietor had battled a longtime respiratory sickness for greater than a yr. It is unclear what that sickness was or if it triggered his dying. The league suspended him in 2014 following his arrest on DUI prices. He admitted in a November 2024 interview with HBO Sports activities that he’d been to rehab 15 instances. The Irsay household in the end launched the “Kicking the Stigma” marketing campaign that addressed psychological well being and dependancy.

Irsay managed to show the Colts into the NFL’s fifth-winningest franchise since taking up possession duties in 1997. Irsay even tweeted forward of the Jap Convention Finals earlier than his passing. He threw in his help for the Indiana Pacers forward of the New York Knicks matchup.

Irsay made that put up earlier than 9 a.m. PT. And effectively forward of Sport 1 of that contest inside Madison Sq. Backyard. He is survived by his three daughters and 10 grandchildren.