Jim Irsay, the longtime owner of the Indianapolis Colts, has passed away at 65 years old, according to an announcement Wednesday from the franchise.
The organization was bought for $12 million in 1972 by Irsay’s father. Then, they were the Baltimore Colts, eventually relocating to Indianapolis in 1984.
From 1982-96, Irsay was the Colts general manager, and at 37 years old, he became the youngest owner in NFL history. That took place in 1997 following the death of his father. (RELATED: REPORT: NFL Owners Fail To Gather Enough Votes To Ban ‘Tush Push’ QB Sneak)
Over the years, Irsay dealt with multiple health problems and had battles with both alcohol and drug addiction, even admitting that “at least 15 times” he had to go to rehab.
Back in Jan. 2024, the Colts made the announcement that Irsay was undergoing treatment for a “severe respiratory illness.” The next month in February, Irsay posted on social media that his status was “on the mend.”
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) May 21, 2025
“It’s a long road and you have to be patient. The great news is everything is going well,” said Irsay in March while in the hospital following a right leg procedure.
Irsay stated that by then he had a total of “26 surgeries over the last seven years.”
As the head of the Indianapolis Colts franchise, Irsay tallied 258 victories, which is the fourth-most in NFL history during that span. On his resume, Irsay has 10 division championships, recorded a 1-1 record in two Super Bowls and had 18 postseason appearances.
Irsay is survived by three children and 10 grandchildren.
This article was originally published at dailycaller.com
