The sports world is in mourning following the death of longtime Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay, who has passed away at the age of 65.
Tributes poured in across social media from current and former athletes, sports figures, and organizations, all remembering Irsay’s passion, generosity, and impact on the game.
Colts legend Peyton Manning, who spent 13 seasons with the franchise, expressed his sorrow in a heartfelt Instagram post accompanied by a throwback photo of himself with Irsay.
“I am heartbroken to hear about Jim Irsay’s passing,” Manning wrote. “He was an incredibly generous and passionate owner and I will always be indebted to him for giving me my start in the NFL. His love for the Colts and the city of Indy was unmatched.
“His impact on the players who played for him will not be forgotten. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and everyone in the Colts community. He will be missed. Jim, rest in peace my friend, #18.”
Tom Brady, a longtime rival and friend of Manning’s, added a brief but emotional comment under the post, writing, “❤️🙏🏻 RIP❤️🙏🏻.”
Legendary Colts head coach Tony Dungy also shared an emotional tribute to Irsay.
“When I got the news last night that Jim Irsay had passed away in his sleep it was devastating to me. The Bible says in many places that tomorrow is not promised to us but I wasn’t ready for this,” Dungy posted on X.
“Jim was one of the kindest, most compassionate people I have ever known. He was awesome to me and my family. He was a blessing to his players and staff. But more than that he had a heart for people and for the city of Indianapolis.
“He loved people and did so many things for others – more things than you could imagine… I miss him already. He was a special man and I couldn’t have worked for a better owner.”
Former Colts punter turned media superstar, Pat McAfee, also made sure to pay his utmost respect to his former owner.
“This is devastating,” McAfee posted on X. “Jim had friendships with a lot of his former players.. I was lucky to be one of them … Playing for a team that Mr. Irsay ran was an honor. He was funny, brilliant, unique, and somehow still wildly relatable for a man who became the sole owner of an NFL team at the age of 37.. and before that, hired as the youngest general manager in the history of the league as a 24 year old.
“He battled his demons, as we all do but, God blessed Jim Irsay with an abundance of compassion.. he wanted to give back/help everybody and everything he saw or knew about… putting a list together of all of the causes/things/people that he’s given to would be an impossible task.. probably well over $100,000,000.. there was even a whale about to get an assist from Jim at one point.
“The 1st time he and I really had an extended convo was at training camp after the lockout in 2011.. players and front office weren’t allowed to communicate with each other during the lockout but, Jim followed me on Twitter throughout the CBA negotiations.. his first day at training camp, immediately after the lockout ended, he drove his golf cart over to where I was and started firing off questions about Twitter.
“He enjoyed the thought of being able to connect with Colts fans all over the world.. he appreciated the opportunity to be able to share some of his thoughts in his own way.. and he absolutely LOVED the idea of being able to give money/experiences/tickets/etc. away to people on Twitter.
“He was a mogul who had a creative artist’s brain.. Everything he did he wanted to do in a big and imaginative way.. his Twitter Giveaways became just that.. he wanted them to be awesome… and they were. He was a Billionaire who yearned to share his wealth in fun ways.
“Anybody that met him would say that he seemingly woke up everyday wanting to help people.. life got in the way sometimes but, anybody who actually knew him, loved him … A true anomaly.
“When I decided to retire.. he and I had a 2.5 hour conversation in his office. He was sitting at his desk.. hitting the shit out of his vape .. and we talked about everything I was hoping to go do … He tried to stop me for a few minutes.. even offered to renegotiate my contract.. and then once he realized my decision was made.. the convo turned into him trying to give me as much game as possible about running a business and maintaining authenticity.
“He gave me quotes and words to live by.. told me stories of mistakes he and others had made and he promised he would do anything he could to help me in my venture … “If for some reason this doesn’t work or you don’t want to do it anymore, you’ll always have a job here at the Colts. You are family.”
“Since that day.. Jim has done everything he can to help me succeed.. He’d join our show anytime I asked, no matter where he was in the world.. He’d send me motivational messages when he heard I was going thru something.. he’d forward articles that he’d come across that he thought I should read.. He’d answer any question I had about decisions I had to make.. and he even offered up his connections if I wanted to “buy that lovely wife of yours something nice brother”
“Jim was a real one.. and we will all miss the shit out of him … I send my positive prayers and vibes to his daughters, his grandkids, his loved ones, his staff, and everybody who has been working with Jim for the last 40 years.
“Thank you for EVERYTHING big man.. You were a damn legend … Rest Easy, brother.”
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell issued a heartfelt statement on Irsay’s unfortunate passing.
“We were deeply saddened to learn of Jim Irsay’s passing today. Jim was a friend, and a man deeply committed to his family, the game, the Colts, and the Indianapolis community,” Goodell stated.
“He spent his life and career in the National Football League. Starting as a teenager as a Colts’ ballboy, he learned every position in the organization before assuming leadership of the Colts approximately 30 years ago. Jim’s Colts won the Super Bowl, hosted another and built Lucas Oil Stadium.
“Within the league, Jim was an active Chairman of the Legislative Committee and member of the Finance Committee. He led with integrity, passion, and care for the Colts’ players, coaches and staff, and his courageous work in support of mental health will be a lasting legacy.
“Outside of football, he was a talented musician and built an extraordinary collection of historical and musical artifacts that he shared with people across the country… On behalf of the entire NFL, I extend my heartfelt condolences to Jim’s daughters and their families, and to his many friends throughout the NFL.”
Other sports organizations and leaders joined in remembering Irsay’s legacy.
Penske Entertainment, through the Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s official X account, issued a statement honoring his influence in the region.
“Jim Irsay was an incredibly kind, brilliant and dedicated leader whose generosity and appreciation for Central Indiana and our entire state made a massive and irreplaceable impact on so many lives,” the statement read.
Irsay’s final post on X was very fitting.
“Go PACERS. Good luck to Herb, the entire @Pacers organization, and our city!” he posted, sending well wishes to the Indianapolis Pacers ahead of their Game 1 matchup against the New York Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals.
(Fittingly, the Pacers ended up pulling off one of the most incredible comeback wins in NBA history.)
Sure enough, Pacers Sports & Entertainment Owner Herb Simon and the Simon Family released a statement acknowledging and honoring their friend.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of our dear friend, Jim Irsay. Jim took the time today to cheer us on – he was more than the owner of the Indianapolis Colts, he was a transformative figure in our city and state, a passionate advocate for the community, and someone whose generosity, vision and spirit touched countless lives,” the statement read.
“Jim helped shape our city into the sports capital it is today, and his legacy, both on and off the field, will continue to inspire us and generations to come. On behalf of our family, we extend our deepest sympathies and condolences to the Irsay family, the Colts organization, fans and all who loved Jim. He will be sorely missed.”
Needless to say, tributes will continue to be shared from current and former players, coaches, owners, and of course NFL fans everywhere.
RIP to one of the kindest, most unique, and certainly most generous owners American sports has ever seen.
