Sometimes it’s hard to pinpoint someone’s legacy after they die. That is not the case for Jim Irsay, the longtime Indianapolis Colts owner who died in his sleep on Wednesday at age 65.
Irsay’s legacy includes his extensive community service and philanthropy, specifically in the areas of mental heath and education. He started the “Kicking the Stigma” program, supported local educational initiatives and funded community centers throughout the Indianapolis area.
Regarding the Colts, Irsay’s legacy is being the ultimate players’ owner. He loved his players and wasn’t afraid to express it, whether it was in the locker room after a game, during a Hall of Fame ceremony or behind closed doors.
The feeling was certainly mutual. Irsay was asked to present three of his former players, Marvin Harrison, Edgerrin James and Dwight Freeney, when they were inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. James, who was released after the 2005 season, was still given a Super Bowl ring by Irsay after the Colts won the Super Bowl the following season.
Irsay took great pride in his team’s accomplishments; he famously had a “2014 AFC Finalist” banner raised inside Lucas Oil Stadium to honor that team’s AFC Championship Game appearance. He spared no expense when it came to the team’s AFC Championship and Super Bowl rings. In 2016, he threw a weekend-long 10-year anniversary celebration of the team’s 2006 championship.
As much as he loved his players, Irsay still made tough personnel decisions with the Colts’ best interests at heart. That included the release of team icon Peyton Manning after the 2011 season, 13 years after Irsay and the Colts selected Manning with the first overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft.
“I am heartbroken to hear about Jim Irsay’s passing,” Manning wrote on a social media post that included a picture of him and Irsay shortly after the Colts drafted him. “He was an incredibly generous and passionate owner and I will always be indebted to him for giving me my first 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.”
As Manning alluded to, Irsay’s passion for “The Shoe” was limitless. He revered the team’s rich history that dated back to the team’s years in Baltimore. And while the Colts had some success in Indianapolis prior to him becoming owner, the Colts really didn’t establish their own legacy in their new city until he took over.
The height of Irsay’s time as Colts owner occurred on January 21, 2007. The Colts won the Super Bowl two weeks later, on a rainy night in Miami, but the team’s true defining moment was against the Patriots in the 2006 AFC title game. Down 21-3, the Colts roared back and defeated the NFL’s Goliath in one of the most thrilling conference title games in NFL history.
Irsay had his challenges, both personally and professionally. But he never let those obstacles get in the way of the things that mattered to him most: his family, his community and, of course, his Colts.
This news was originally published on this post .
About the author
Casagrande descarta ameaça ao Palmeiras no Brasileirão: “Meio da tabela”
Casagrande, em live transmitida no YouTube (Reprodução) Casagrande não vê margem para o Corinthians ameaçar o Palmeiras na sequência do Brasileirão. Sem projetar uma sequência positiva capaz de viabilizar uma disputa pela liderança, o ex-jogador acredita que o clube alvinegro tem condições de vencer somente os torneios de mata-mata. Porém, para o sucesso na Copa do Brasil e Sul-Americana, será necessário melhorar o rendimento fora de casa. “Eu não vejo o Corinthians com regularidade para disputar o Campeonato Brasileiro de pontos corridos. Eu acho que o Corinthians vai ficar do meio da tabela para cima. Mas, nas copas, pode avançar.”, disse Casão, no UOL News Esporte. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADE “O problema do Corinthians é o jogo fora (de casa). Neste ano, está muito mais acentuada essa dificuldade. Tem que ter um rendimento melhor fora de casa nas copas. Se não, você […]
Analysis: How Postecoglou perfected Tottenham’s defensive setup to win the Europa League
There will be many memories of Tottenham Hotspur’s Europa League triumph, the club’s first trophy in 17 years.One of them will be the change in tactical approach during the knockout stages, which saw Spurs become a more ruthless and efficient team.“I have always felt that knockout football is different from your league football,” head coach Ange Postecoglou told UK broadcaster TNT Sports after his side beat Manchester United 1-0 in Wednesday’s final. “When you are in that situation, it comes down to really good organisation, having a clear game plan and then moments, and if you can minimise the moments the opposition have by having a really strong foundation.”AdvertisementThe biggest “moment” of last night’s match fell Tottenham’s way, when Brennan Johnson put them in the lead towards the end of the first half, but it was the “good organisation” and “clear […]
USMNT Gold Cup squad: Pulisic, Musah not the only high-profile absences
The U.S. will be without several regulars for this summer’s Gold Cup, including stars Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah and Antonee Robinson.Manager Mauricio Pochettino named a 27-man roster for camp ahead of this summer’s Gold Cup on Thursday. The U.S. will only be able to carry 26 players into the tournament, with Concacaf’s deadline to finalize the squad on June 4. The U.S. will play friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland before group games against Trinidad & Tobago, Saudi Arabia and Haiti.AdvertisementPulisic and Robinson have been given the summer off after long seasons with AC Milan and Fulham, respectively. Robinson has been dealing with several injury issues, including tendinopathy, which caused him to miss the Concacaf Nations League finals in March. If Pulisic plays this weekend for AC Milan, it will be his 120th game for club and country in […]
Sting Ray Robb pens letter of perseverance: ‘There will be setbacks. Doubt. Isolation’
Sting Ray Robb - Driver for Juncos Hollinger This first-person essay is part of a special series leading up to the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 25 on FOX in which INDYCAR drivers penned letters about what the historic race means to them. Read them all here.To My Younger Self, You were only 3 when you first started asking, relentlessly, for a go-kart. Not a toy, not a video game. A real kart. Even then, you knew what you were chasing, even if you couldn’t explain why. (Must have something to do with your name). On your 5th birthday, your persistence paid off. I still remember the feeling of sitting in that kart for the first time. It didn’t matter that your feet barely reached the pedals — something inside you clicked into place.You wanted to race. You […]
Santos hoje: time tem desfalques de peso em decisão na Copa do Brasil; veja lista
Santos tem a volta de Neymar com o CRB - Divulgação CRB x Santos se enfrentam nesta quinta (22), às 21h30 (de Brasília), no estádio Rei Pelé, em Maceió, pelo segundo jogo da terceira fase da Copa do Brasil. Depois de empatar em 1 a 1 no duelo de ida, o time comandado por Cléber Xavier necessita de um resultado simples para avançar às oitavas de final da competição. Contudo, o Peixe precisará superar a ausência de jogadores importantes nesta noite. Soteldo, com uma lesão no músculo bíceps femoral da coxa esquerda, está fora e deve voltar somente após a disputa do Mundial de Clubes. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADE Com o mesmo problema, João Schmidt também será baixa na equipe santista. Escobar, que foi expulso no primeiro confronto, cumpre suspensão. Em seu lugar, a tendência é que o jovem Souza seja o […]
Napoli coach Antonio Conte could pull off incredible feat that even Carlo Ancelotti and Fabio Capello haven’t
Getty Images Napoli manager Antonio Conte can make history on Friday as Napoli are set to be crowned Serie A champions if they win their last home game of the 2024-25 season against Cagliari, which officially avoided relegation last weekend. If the Azzurri win on Friday, it won't matter what Inter do against Como, as Napoli have a one-point margin over the Nerazzurri. If Napoli and Inter end their 38-game seasons with the same point total, a playoff final will decide the 2024-25 Serie A winner on Monday, in an unprecedented showdown which might take place in the same week Inter will face PSG in the 2024-25 Champions League final in Munich on May 31.If Conte wins the title, the Italian manager would make history as he would become the first ever manager to win the Scudetto with three different teams. […]
Related
Casagrande descarta ameaça ao Palmeiras no Brasileirão: “Meio da tabela”
Casagrande, em live transmitida no YouTube (Reprodução) Casagrande não vê margem para o Corinthians ameaçar o Palmeiras na sequência do Brasileirão. Sem projetar uma sequência positiva capaz de viabilizar uma disputa pela liderança, o ex-jogador acredita que o clube alvinegro tem condições de vencer somente os torneios de mata-mata. Porém, para o sucesso na Copa do Brasil e Sul-Americana, será necessário melhorar o rendimento fora de casa. “Eu não vejo o Corinthians com regularidade para disputar o Campeonato Brasileiro de pontos corridos. Eu acho que o Corinthians vai ficar do meio da tabela para cima. Mas, nas copas, pode avançar.”, disse Casão, no UOL News Esporte. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADE “O problema do Corinthians é o jogo fora (de casa). Neste ano, está muito mais acentuada essa dificuldade. Tem que ter um rendimento melhor fora de casa nas copas. Se não, você […]
Analysis: How Postecoglou perfected Tottenham’s defensive setup to win the Europa League
There will be many memories of Tottenham Hotspur’s Europa League triumph, the club’s first trophy in 17 years.One of them will be the change in tactical approach during the knockout stages, which saw Spurs become a more ruthless and efficient team.“I have always felt that knockout football is different from your league football,” head coach Ange Postecoglou told UK broadcaster TNT Sports after his side beat Manchester United 1-0 in Wednesday’s final. “When you are in that situation, it comes down to really good organisation, having a clear game plan and then moments, and if you can minimise the moments the opposition have by having a really strong foundation.”AdvertisementThe biggest “moment” of last night’s match fell Tottenham’s way, when Brennan Johnson put them in the lead towards the end of the first half, but it was the “good organisation” and “clear […]
USMNT Gold Cup squad: Pulisic, Musah not the only high-profile absences
The U.S. will be without several regulars for this summer’s Gold Cup, including stars Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah and Antonee Robinson.Manager Mauricio Pochettino named a 27-man roster for camp ahead of this summer’s Gold Cup on Thursday. The U.S. will only be able to carry 26 players into the tournament, with Concacaf’s deadline to finalize the squad on June 4. The U.S. will play friendlies against Turkey and Switzerland before group games against Trinidad & Tobago, Saudi Arabia and Haiti.AdvertisementPulisic and Robinson have been given the summer off after long seasons with AC Milan and Fulham, respectively. Robinson has been dealing with several injury issues, including tendinopathy, which caused him to miss the Concacaf Nations League finals in March. If Pulisic plays this weekend for AC Milan, it will be his 120th game for club and country in […]
Sting Ray Robb pens letter of perseverance: ‘There will be setbacks. Doubt. Isolation’
Sting Ray Robb - Driver for Juncos Hollinger This first-person essay is part of a special series leading up to the 109th running of the Indianapolis 500 on May 25 on FOX in which INDYCAR drivers penned letters about what the historic race means to them. Read them all here.To My Younger Self, You were only 3 when you first started asking, relentlessly, for a go-kart. Not a toy, not a video game. A real kart. Even then, you knew what you were chasing, even if you couldn’t explain why. (Must have something to do with your name). On your 5th birthday, your persistence paid off. I still remember the feeling of sitting in that kart for the first time. It didn’t matter that your feet barely reached the pedals — something inside you clicked into place.You wanted to race. You […]
Santos hoje: time tem desfalques de peso em decisão na Copa do Brasil; veja lista
Santos tem a volta de Neymar com o CRB - Divulgação CRB x Santos se enfrentam nesta quinta (22), às 21h30 (de Brasília), no estádio Rei Pelé, em Maceió, pelo segundo jogo da terceira fase da Copa do Brasil. Depois de empatar em 1 a 1 no duelo de ida, o time comandado por Cléber Xavier necessita de um resultado simples para avançar às oitavas de final da competição. Contudo, o Peixe precisará superar a ausência de jogadores importantes nesta noite. Soteldo, com uma lesão no músculo bíceps femoral da coxa esquerda, está fora e deve voltar somente após a disputa do Mundial de Clubes. PUBLICIDADE PUBLICIDADE Com o mesmo problema, João Schmidt também será baixa na equipe santista. Escobar, que foi expulso no primeiro confronto, cumpre suspensão. Em seu lugar, a tendência é que o jovem Souza seja o […]
Napoli coach Antonio Conte could pull off incredible feat that even Carlo Ancelotti and Fabio Capello haven’t
Getty Images Napoli manager Antonio Conte can make history on Friday as Napoli are set to be crowned Serie A champions if they win their last home game of the 2024-25 season against Cagliari, which officially avoided relegation last weekend. If the Azzurri win on Friday, it won't matter what Inter do against Como, as Napoli have a one-point margin over the Nerazzurri. If Napoli and Inter end their 38-game seasons with the same point total, a playoff final will decide the 2024-25 Serie A winner on Monday, in an unprecedented showdown which might take place in the same week Inter will face PSG in the 2024-25 Champions League final in Munich on May 31.If Conte wins the title, the Italian manager would make history as he would become the first ever manager to win the Scudetto with three different teams. […]
Be the first to leave a comment