Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay has died at the age of 65, the team announced on Wednesday. The billionaire NFL team owner "passed away peacefully in his sleep" on Wednesday afternoon, according to a statement released by the Colts.
The team confirmed the news in a heartfelt tribute but did not disclose a cause of death. Irsay had served as the longtime owner and CEO of the Indianapolis Colts, presiding over one of the most successful eras in the franchise's history.
His death marks the end of an era for the NFL team, which has been under Irsay family ownership for decades.
Irsay, who was worth an estimated $4.8 billion (£3.5bn), had been struggling with health issues in recent times.
Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay has died at the age of 65
Reuters
He was hospitalised in January 2024 and subsequently provided a health update to the public the following month.
The Colts owner had largely withdrawn from public life due to health and mobility issues, though he remained involved with the NFL and in managing the team.
He had been treated for severe respiratory illness in both January and March of last year.
Irsay had previously revealed he had undergone 26 surgeries over the past seven years, though he had stated he was doing well despite these medical challenges.
Jim Irsay's career in American football began at a remarkably young age. He became the vice-president and general manager of the Colts upon the team's controversial relocation from Baltimore to Indianapolis in 1984.
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At just 24 years old, he etched his name into NFL history as the youngest-ever general manager in the league.
The Irsay family's connection to the Colts stretches back decades. Jim's father, Robert Irsay, was the previous owner who moved the franchise from Baltimore to Indianapolis in 1972.
Following his father's death in 1997, Jim took full control of the Colts ownership, continuing the family legacy.
Tributes have poured in following Irsay's death, with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell expressing his condolences in a statement.
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— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) May 21, 2025
"We were deeply saddened to learn of Jim Irsay's passing today," Goodell said. "Jim was a friend, and a man deeply committed to his family, the game, the Colts, and the Indianapolis community."
The Colts' statement highlighted Irsay's dedication to the team and community, noting that his "passion for the Indianapolis Colts in addition to his generosity, commitment to the community, and most importantly, his love for his family were unsurpassed."
The team extended their "deepest sympathies" to his daughters, Carlie Irsay-Gordon, Casey Foyt, Kalen Jackson, and his entire family.
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