During Sunday’s Indianapolis Colts game against the Miami Dolphins, late team owner Jim Irsay will be inducted into the Colts’ Ring of Honor. The players will wear Irsay patches on their jerseys. All fans will receive a “For the Boss” T-shirt in tribute, and Irsay’s favorite songs will be featured on the game day playlist.
This is a perfect final salute to Irsay in the home he knew for decades.
At the ripe age of 37, Jim Irsay became the then-youngest sole owner of an NFL franchise. He took on a team that had its moments, winning the fifth-ever Super Bowl before its move to Indianapolis, but had struggled since then. Irsay went on to become one of the most well-respected owners in NFL history, leading the Colts to numerous successful seasons, including a Super Bowl victory in 2006. He maintained the team until May 21 when he suffered cardiac arrest and died at 65.
Although Colts and NFL fans around the country mourned his sudden death, there’s no doubt that the legacy Irsay left on the league as a leader, visionary and respected football mind deserves recognition.
Irsay earned his place in the Ring of Honor largely because of what he did right out of the gate in Indy. He hired general manager Bill Polian and drafted Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning in just his first year as owner, which led to over a decade of success. After the Manning era, Irsay brought in Andrew Luck and a number of veteran quarterbacks to consistently keep the Colts fighting for a playoff spot. In building these teams over 28 years, Irsay made the Colts the storied franchise they are today, and he should get every memento the Colts honor him with.
To fully understand why Irsay’s legacy runs deeper than the Colts' longtime success, you have to look beyond the football field to his philanthropy..
After sharing his own struggles with mental health, Irsay and his daughters launched the Kicking the Stigma foundation in 2020 as a way to get help for those dealing with mental health issues. The whole Irsay family has donated over $32 million since then to assist with treatment and raise awareness for mental health.
Like plenty of influential people, Irsay had his own personal struggles. He battled with addiction for a long period of time, experiencing relapses even in the years leading up to his death. But what stands out about Irsay is how openly he addressed these internal battles and his experiences to try and help others. This led to the start of his foundation, and he wanted people out there to know they could fight off the illness that is addiction.
Irsay’s contributions feel personal, and he stands out among NFL owners for his philanthropic support. This makes him worthy of the recognition he’s receiving as not just an owner, but as someone who’s used his platform to help his community in a real way.
Irsay also set up many of his family members for success, particularly his daughters. Since 2004, his three daughters have worked for the Colts in positions to prepare them for possible future ownership. After his death, the Colts announced that three of his daughters would be taking over as co-owners. Along with this, in June 2025, Carlie was made CEO, Casey became executive vice president and Kalen became the president of the Indianapolis Colts Foundation. Irsay set his family up to succeed while also teaching them how to work hard for it.
When you think about the Indianapolis Colts, you likely think about the Hall of Fame players like Manning, wide receiver Marvin Harrison or defensive end Dwight Freeney, but the man who brought all that together and made the franchise what it is today merits not only respect but to be honored for his accomplishments and displayed in his longtime home, Lucas Oil Stadium.
