Former Broncos QB Peyton Manning Shares Heartfelt Message About Jim Irsay
On Wednesday afternoon, the Indianapolis Colts announced that owner Jim Irsay had passed away at the age of 65. The outpouring of love and support for the Colts and the Irsay family following his passing was abundant.
A lot of his former players all shared heartfelt messages about how much Irsay meant to them. For former Denver Broncos legend Payton Manning, Irsay was the owner who drafted him first overall and brought him into the NFL.
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During NFL Live on ESPN, Manning shared a heartfelt message about Irsay, expressing gratitude for the former Colts owner.
"He gave me my start in the NFL... He was one of a kind," Manning said. "He loved the Colts, he loved the players that played for him, and I'll always be indebted to him for giving me my chance in the NFL."
Manning was drafted by the Colts in 1998, and became the franchise quarterback for Irsay until 2010. The Colts, under Irsay and Manning, won Super Bowl XLI, and had an incredible career together.
When Manning was the quarterback in Indianapolis, the Colts went 141 and 67. The two spent 14 years together, and had an incredible run.
Former NFL quarterback Peyton Manning before the game between the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Denver Broncos at Empower Field at Mile High.Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images
After Irsay's passing, plenty of former players who played for a fraction of the amount of time that Manning did came forward and shared their love for Irsay.
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For Manning, who came into the NFL as one of the most highly touted number one overall picks, Irsay pulled out all the stops.
According to Manning, Irsay called Manning ahead of the NFL draft to let him know the Colts were going to take him. Irsay then asked what number Manning wanted to wear in the NFL, and had a Colts jersey made with Mannings number 18 on it.
There was no owner quite like Irsay, and after his passing, the outpouring of love and support from former players tells the story. Manning's appreciation for Irsay is just one of many former Colts players that appreciated Irsay.
Related: Former Broncos All-Pro CB Aqib Talib Sends Candid Advice For Jahdae Barron
Related: Broncos Trade Idea Acquires NFC South Receiver for Bo Nix
Former Broncos QB Peyton Manning Shares Heartfelt Message About Jim Irsay first appeared on Athlon Sports on May 22, 2025
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