Colts owner Jim Irsay found dead

One of the larger profiles in the NFL in terms of ownership has passed away.

The longtime owner of the Indianapolis Colts, Jim Irsay, was reportedly found dead. Irsay was 72 years old.

He’s Gone

Irsay has a long history with drug and alcohol addiction problems, but he was thought to have been on the mend.

The most recent incident took place in December 2023, when authorities found him at his home early in the morning in what they suspected was an overdose.

After Irsay was able to talk to the media again, he denied the reports, stating, "I don’t know why, when you have your name in the paper in the past, people throw that out there quickly. I don’t pay attention to it all that much, but I don’t think it’s fair."

Irsay was also arrested in 2014, later pleading guilty to Operating While Intoxicated, where the NFL imposed a six-game suspension and fined him $500,000.

This time, Irsay was not so lucky, with reports surfacing this week that he passed on May 21, 2025, in his sleep, in what is suspected to be another overdose.

Rising Up

Irsay was just a young boy when his father bought the Baltimore Colts.

He went to SMU, then joined the family business, working in various aspects of the team’s management.

In 1983, Jim Irsay was promoted to the personnel department, eventually being named vice president and general manager of the franchise in 1984. At 24, he was the youngest to ever hold that title in the NFL. This was also around the time the Colts stuffed all the team's belongings into moving vans, fleeing Baltimore in the middle of the night to set up shop in Indianapolis. It was a move that the Baltimore faithful never forgave him for.

Taking Over

In 1995, after Irsay’s father had a stroke, he took full control of the team. His father died in 1997, at which point Irsay and his stepmother got into a legal battle over the team, with Irsay coming out the victor, becoming the youngest NFL owner at the ripe age of 37.

Under his guidance, the Colts rose to prominence again, winning 10 division titles, 18 playoff appearances, and appearing in two Super Bowls.

The Colts, with Peyton Manning at QB, won Super Bowl XLI, defeating the Chicago Bears 29-17.

I know you had your demons, Jim, but we all do. But you sure made the Colts and football interesting. Rest in peace, sir.