NFL Owner Jim Irsay Passes Away With Inspiring Message To Indiana Pacers
To those who knew and loved Jim Irsay, the owner and CEO of the Indianapolis Colts who died on Wednesday at the age of 65, it made perfect sense.
In the Colts announcement, they wrote, "Jim's dedication to and passion for the Indianapolis Colts in addition to his generosity, commitment to the community, and most importantly, his love for his family were unsurpassed.''
That commitment went beyond just football; he's well-known in Indiana for making a series of private cash donations to the underserved and to citizens who were struggling for whatever reason.
And the commitment extended to all things Indy, including the Indiana Pacers of the NBA.
Irsay, the Colts said, died "peacefully in his sleep" ... but only after going on X one final time for one final tweet.
And fittingly, that message was about the community and about sports.
Posted just before noon the day he died? "Go PACERS," he wrote, as he wished the organization and "our city" good luck ahead of their Eastern Conference Finals matchup against the New York Knicks.
On Wednesday night, the Pacers recorded a 138-135 Game 1 win over the Knicks in OT.
The Pacers responded ... as did their ownership.
Pacers posted a statement from team owner Herb Simon called Irsay a "dear friend" and credited him in having helped shape Indianapolis into "the sports capital it is today."
Irsay, the son of former Baltimore Colts owner Robert Irsay, was a ball boy for the team as a kid, became its GM at age 25, and became a face of the NFL for years after that.
"Some of Jim's fondest memories came from his youth working training camps in Baltimore and growing relationships with players, coaches, and staff whom he considered his extended family," the Colts wrote. "He worked in every department before he was named the youngest general manager in team history in 1984 when the Colts arrived in Indianapolis."
Many players have expressed their grief over Irsay's passing, including the iconic Peyton Manning, with whom he won a Super Bowl.
"I am heartbroken to hear about Jim Irsay's passing," Manning wrote on Instagram Wednesday. "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."
Irsay was sometimes a controversial figure (in part due to his self-admitted struggles with alcohol and painkillers), and always a colorful one. But as Pat McAfee once said, "You're talking about a guy who's been around the Colts his entire life, who personifies the Horseshoe."
And he personifies the city as well ... in a way that includes the Pacers run to the NBA Finals.
Related: Caitlin Clark Declares Pacers 'The Greatest' After Playoff Thriller vs. Knicks
Related: Inside How Pacers Managed Playoff Comeback in Game 1 OT Over Knicks
Copyright 2025 Athlon Sports. All rights reserved.
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