Jim

Irsay

Irsay-Gordon previously assumed control of the Colts during Irsay’s six-game suspension in 2014, perhaps setting a precedent along the way. Florio adds that Irsay-Gordon’s sisters, Casey Foyt and Kalen Jackson, will also remain co-owners, though their expected involvement has not yet been reported on.

The cause of death has not yet been released, but Irsay reportedly dealt with a severe respiratory illness in 2024. Irsay assumed control of the Colts organization when his father, Robert, passed in 1997. Jim signed on as a Colts staffer in 1982, quickly joining the scouting department while being trained in administrative duties. He was named vice president and general manager in 1984, at just 24 years old. We wish the Irsay family well.

The report says police “found Irsay struggling to breathe with a weak pulse” and treated him with Narcan, which is often used to treat opioid overdoses. It’s a concerning development for Irsay, who has a long history of drug use. The Colts issued a statement asking for privacy in the matter. “Mr. Irsay continues to recover from his respiratory illness. We will have no further comment on his personal health, and we continue to ask that Jim and his family’s privacy be respected.” Irsay hasn’t been seen in public since December.

He will not perform with his band this week in Los Angeles. Irsay, 64, has reportedly not been seen “for weeks” and the team has received questions about his whereabouts. The Colts missed the postseason after losing their Week 18 home game to the Texans.

Team officials are not allowed to publicly comment on the NFL’s communications on calls with teams, but Irsay tweeted that the NFL admitted to not making correct calls at the end of Week 7’s Colts-Browns game. He called to institute instant replay on penalties in the last two minutes of games in the tweet. Refereeing has faced scrutiny at times recently and now a team owner has publicly stated a belief in instituting penalty instant replays.

Irsay’s exact post read, “NFL Running Back situation- We have negotiated a CBA,that took years of effort and hard work and compromise in good faith by both sides..to say now that a specific Player category whats another negotiation after the fact,is inappropriate. Some agents are selling ‘bad faith’”. Even in a jumbled social media post, Irsay’s argument isn’t getting lost in translation. The Colts owner, who will soon have to decide on whether or not he wants to extend running back Jonathan Taylor, is none-too-pleased about running backs looking for a way to regain some leverage on a down running back market. When questioned about a Taylor extension, Colts GM Chris Ballard recently said the running back “market is what the market is.” Taylor is currently on the active/PUP list with an ankle injury that dates back to last season. We’ll assume once he’s healthy, he’ll be on the field, although Irsay’s recent comments could cause Taylor to think differently.

According to Rybaltowski’s article, “The Colts player appears to have made the wagers through an account opened by an acquaintance,” and “there is evidence the Colts player placed hundreds of wagers.” While the unnamed player is not widely considered a “superstar,” Rybaltowski adds that “an ardent NFL fan has probably heard of him.” The bets were reportedly placed from inside the Colts’ facility, which we learned is against league policies after the Lions saw Jameson Williams and Stanley Berryhill suspended for six games this season for the same violation. We’ll undoubtedly learn more about this story as it develops, with a suspension likely on the way for the player under investigation.

Irsay was quick to tweet a reminder to the league that any conversations with Andrew Luck about a return are a violation of the league’s anti-tampering policy. The tweet was spurred by a report from ESPN’s John Keim that said the Commanders “even phoned about retired Andrew Luck” last offseason. While we don’t know the specifics of what went into determining whether or not the Commanders tampered with Luck, Holder reports that the matter “has been resolved to the Colts’ satisfaction”.

Irsay’s tweet came just minutes after an ESPN article published by Commanders beat writer John Keim suggested the team “even phoned about retired Andrew Luck, just in case” as they began their quarterback search last offseason. This could prove problematic for the Commanders, as the Colts still hold the contractual rights to Luck, despite the former No. 1 overall pick being retired for the last five seasons. Since Keim’s article was posted, ESPN has reported the Colts are “seeking to learn more about what exactly transpired and whether any tampering occurred.” Irsay has been more than public about his disdain for the Commanders, and more particularly, owner Daniel Snyder. Any proven case of tampering could result in the loss of future draft picks, as we saw with the Dolphins and their 2023 first-round pick.

He later added “The Alabama guy doesn’t look bad, I’ll tell ya.” Steichen was an imminently reasonable hire for the Colts with or without this added pressure to find the next franchise quarterback, but Irsay has tipped his hand pretty hard in Steichen’s opening presser about the direction of the team. The Colts could trade up to the first overall pick with Chicago. They also could wait and see what shakes out at fourth overall. Either way, the direction of the pick feels pretty clear at this point.