Jim Irsay passed away in his sleep during the afternoon of May 21. The official cause of death has not been disclosed, but given the significant health challenges that confronted the Indianapolis Colts owner over the years and the personal demons that severely impacted the course of his very public life, it is natural to wonder.
With all due respect, I’d suspect that his heart was in good shape.
At least when it came to goodwill.
As the tributes flowed while news spread of Irsay’s death at 65, the part of his complex legacy that involved his “Kicking The Stigma Action Fund” resonated. The campaign, launched by the Colts in 2021, provided $31 million in grants to raise awareness for dealing with mental health and addiction issues, supporting research, non-profits and other organizations.
That’s heart.
Of course, the most public indication of Irsay’s challenge came in 2014, when he pled guilty for operating a vehicle while intoxicated not far from his home in suburban Carmel, Ind. When arrested, he was also in possession of illegal prescription drugs and more than $29,000 in cash. The incident resulted in a six-game suspension from the NFL and $500,000 fine – and much public shaming.
Reflecting in 2023 with HBO’s Real Sports, Irsay contended his arrest was not above board. “I’m prejudiced against because I’m a rich, white billionaire,” he said.
That was rather absurd. And quite the departure from what he told me upon his return from the NFL suspension, when, following a rehab stint, he owned up to the incident and didn’t cast himself as a victim. He also maintained that his crisis moved him to lend his voice – and resources, as manifested years later – to a cause greater than himself.
“Any way I can take away from the stigma is good,” Irsay told USA TODAY Sports in 2014. “A lot of people don’t understand the disease. They think you choose an addiction. At the same time, I’ve had many, many years of continual recovery. What’s really important is that you can be honest and talk about an illness.”
Something else that Irsay told me during that interview also hits home about now.
“There are millions of death certificates that don’t read ‘alcoholism,’ but that’s what it is. Instead, they say, ‘Heart attack,’ ‘stroke,’ ‘liver disease’ or something else.
“I know it’s not perceived as a disease, as something like cancer. Hopefully, that will change. This country has a long way to go. It’s not a moral issue.”
Jim Irsay, longtime Colts owner, dies at 65
In March of 2024, Irsay, who had back and hip issues, revealed that he had undergone 26 surgeries in the previous seven years, according to NFL.com. Earlier in 2024, the Colts revealed that he was treated for a severe respiratory illness, weeks after Irsay was hospitalized after being found in his home as unresponsive, according to ESPN.
In announcing Irsay’s death, the Colts did not allude to medical specifics.
It’s no mystery that the outspoken Irsay was not the typical NFL owner. A football lifer who began working for the Colts as an adolescent, inherited the franchise in 1997 after the death of his father, Robert, his NFL roots connected to the generational family-owned teams – which is why he considered patriarchs Wellington Mara, Art Rooney Sr. and Lamar Hunt as uncles.
Irsay, a guitarist who played with his own all-star band, acquired guitars used by Elvis Presley, Prince, Jerry Garcia, George Harrison, John Lennon and Bob Dylan, among others. He bought an Elton John piano and Ringo Starr’s drum set. The saddle that sat on Secretariat when he won the Triple Crown. The championship belt that Muhammad Ali claimed in defeating George Foreman in the “Rumble in the Jungle.” Letters written by Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington.
The 500-piece Jim Irsay Collection was used for traveling exhibitions and at the free concerts he would stage.
Maybe Irsay’s most prized possession was the original manuscript for the Alcoholics Anonymous “Big Book,” which was printed in 1939. He bought it at an auction for $2.4 million, with the personal significance also connected to the alcoholism that his father and grandfather suffered from.
“Those 12 steps have literally saved hundreds of thousands or millions of lives,” Irsay told Holder and ESPN.
On one level, it may be difficult to relate to an eccentric billionaire who spent tens of millions of dollars on his vast collection. Yet on other levels, there always seemed to be something that less-than-perfect humans – even those not battling addictions – can relate to with Irsay.
He had a heart.
Maybe that’s why Irsay was so beloved by so many who knew him, including players, coaches and staff from his Colts teams, and others in the NFL universe.
Irsay had no qualms about getting close to players, which is why he cried at the farewell press conference for Peyton Manning and why Edgerrin James got a Super Bowl ring when the team won the Lombardi Trophy a year after he left Indy.
Pat McAfee, the one-time punter-turned-media-star, shared a touching memory on social media that illuminated the essence of Irsay’s vibe with players. McAfee went to Irsay’s office to inform him of his decision to retire, and the 2 ½-hour conversation – which included Irsay trying to change McAfee’s mind and offering to re-do his contract, then pivoted to business advice – ended with Irsay ensuring him that there was always a place for him with the Colts.
After all, the Colts – now passed down to Irsay’s three daughters − represented family. Former coaches Tony Dungy and Chuck Pagano can surely vouch for the personal support they received from Irsay while dealing with family tragedy and soul-searching health crisis, respectively.
For Colts fans, they had another way to relate to the team owner who could be touched, so to speak. Irsay would show up at Colts training camp practices with a wad of cash and hand out $100 bills to fans.
His legendary presence on social media came from the heart, too. Irsay was not only prone to witty posts on X, he conducted some of the most amazing giveaways on the social media platform, typically through trivia contests. He’s given away season tickets and Super Bowl tickets. In 2023, he staged a $1 million guess-the-schedule challenge. And last year he gave away Taylor Swift concert tickets.
Irsay’s final tweet, late Wednesday morning, underscored his connection with the city and its sports fans. He gave a nod to the Indiana Pacers and team owner Herb Simon as they prepared for Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference Finals.
“Go PACERS,” he posted. “Good luck to Herb, the entire @Pacers organization, and our city.”
Hours later, it turned out to be a farewell post from Irsay. RIP.
Follow Jarrett Bell on social media: @JarrettBell