1-on-1 talks, quizzes, headsets: How Carlie Irsay-Gordon, Kalen Jackson have prepared to run Colts

Indianapolis Star

2 days ago

INDIANAPOLIS — The Colts are grieving right now.
Adjusting to a reality without Jim Irsay, although his presence can still be felt throughout the team facility and the practice fields at the West 56th Street facility. There is a sense of loss, of reflection, of gratitude after the death of the team's owner last week.
But there is no air of uncertainty about the future.
The Colts already know and trust the hands that now hold the reins.
Carlie Irsay-Gordon, Casey Foyt and Kalen Jackson, Irsay's three daughters, take over their father's role now, assuming full control of departments they've already been leading for years.
Irsay-Gordon, the oldest of the three, has spent years preparing to take over the football side. Jackson has been leading the organization's philanthropic efforts and community outreach for years. Foyt does not spend as much time as the other two in the facility, but she has experience in special events.
The Colts can see their father's influence in his daughters.
'Carlie, Kalen, especially those two, they're in here daily, they're talking to players, having one-on-one conversations, asking us what we think we need,' wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. said. 'That's something you don't really see. You don't really see owners asking players directly, 'How can I help you?' I feel like that's what makes them different.'
Irsay-Gordon has spent years preparing for this role.
When DeForest Buckner was first traded to the Colts in 2020, he was initially surprised to see Irsay-Gordon sitting in a defensive line meeting. Ownership in San Francisco hadn't taken the same approach.
Buckner, like the rest of the Colts, quickly got used to Irsay-Gordon's presence.
Irsay-Gordon, 44, observes almost every practice from the field, and on game days she roams the sideline, wearing a headset to soak up information from the coaching staff's conversations. Far from an intruder, Irsay-Gordon is part of the fabric of the sidelines.
'If I owned a football team, I would definitely want to know what's going on on those sidelines,' Indianapolis head coach Shane Steichen said.
Irsay-Gordon approaches her role with the team as a student. A scholar searching for the next lesson.
'She's always in meetings, whether it's team meetings, d-unit meetings, in the d-line room, on the field almost every day at practice and obviously on the sidelines,' Buckner said. 'She's always got her big notebook, always taking notes, always asking questions about the game. … And obviously, now it's her time to step up and take the lead, and we all have great confidence in her.'
A lot of NFL owners have little formal training for the job.
Buying an organization thrusts an owner into the role immediately. First-time NFL owners often take some time to learn that the same approach that serves them well in the business arena or another sport does not apply to the world of football.
Irsay-Gordon, on the other hand, has years of formal training, enough that she can test a player or coach's retention.
'She'll even come and give you a pop quiz sometimes, so you've got to make sure you're not asleep in those meetings,' receiver coach Reggie Wayne said. 'She's been a student of the game for many years.'
An owner in a headset is a rarity, prompting questions from opponents about what Irsay-Gordon is doing on the sidelines. Every once in a while, somebody wonders if ownership has input on the play-calling, something Irsay-Gordon has never done, although a few Colts know her well enough that they think she might be able to handle the job.
'I mean, honestly, she's out there so much, she's probably getting to the point where she might start calling a couple (plays),' Pittman said.
The Colts coaching staff appreciates Irsay-Gordon's commitment to the football side of the game.
A lot of NFL owners try to stay away from the football side as much as possible, but the reality is that approach can leave an owner unprepared when big football decisions must be made. ESPN reported in January that NFL owners who stay away from football entirely often have little idea what they want in a coach or general manager when a hire has to be made.
'When you talk football with her, she gets it,' Steichen said. 'She understands it. She goes over the defensive stuff, the offensive stuff. She's been involved since I've been here from Day 1, very hands on and she's been tremendous. I think she's going to do a phenomenal job.'
Irsay-Gordon's presence on the sideline has drawn the most attention from fans over the past couple of years.
But both Irsay-Gordon and Jackson have adopted their father's philosophy of building relationships with the players, relationships that have prompted a deluge of stories about Irsay's compassion and generosity towards players in the wake of his death. Veteran defensive end Tyquan Lewis says his relationship with Irsay-Gordon has grown over the years because of her involvement with the team.
'Kalen's also amazing, with everything in the community,' Buckner said. 'The most recent (community event) I was at, it was a couple months ago, in the hospital in the NICU department, and we were handing out swaddles and things for the parents. I think this organization is in good hands.'