Jim Irsay, who grew around the NFL colts before assuming control of the team itself, died while sleeping on Wednesday at age 65, the team announced.
There was no cause of death, but Irsay had fought against health problems in recent years. When he appeared in the Colts training field last summer, it was his first public appearance since the previous season, the star of Indianapolis reported, and the owner told The Outlet that he had recovered after undergoing several surgeries after a fall in his house.
Irsay was 13 when her father, Robert, bought the Baltimore Colts in 1972. When the franchise moved to Indianapolis in 1984, the young Irsay was appointed vice president and general manager of the team, became its operations director in 1996.
After his father’s death in 1997, Irsay took over his family’s business as the owner and executive director of the team.
“Jim’s love and appreciation for the NFL, in addition to its history, tradition and principles, influenced him to become an administrator of the game during his more than 50 years in the league,” the colts said in a statement.
The NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement that he was “deeply sad” for Irsay’s death.
“He spent his life and career in the National Football League,” said Goodell. “Starting when I was a teenager as the dance of the Colts, he learned each position in the organization before assuming the leadership of the Colts approximately 30 years ago. Jim’s Colts won the Super Bowl, organized another and built the Lucas oil stadium.”
Beyond football, Irsay was known for her collection of pop, historical and musical culture artifacts, including guitars played by John Lennon, Paul McCartney and Prince; A first edition of the poem by Allen Ginsberg, Howl; “And the articles used by US presidents. He had also spoken frankly about his history of addiction. In 2023, he told HBO real sports that he had been rehabilitation at least 15 times.
Irsay survives daughters Carlie Irsay-Gordon, Casey Foyt and Kalen Jackson.
