Rams owner Stan Kroenke releases statement on death of Colts owner Jim Irsay
Rams owner Stan Kroenke releases statement on death of Colts owner Jim Irsay
The Indianapolis Colts announced that owner and CEO Jim Irsay died at the age of 65 on Wednesday afternoon, passing away 'peacefully in his sleep.' Irsay owned the Colts since 1997, becoming the youngest NFL team owner at the age of 37.
Since he first started working for the Colts in 1984, the franchise won 316 regular-season games and 13 postseason games, winning one Super Bowl during his tenure with the team. He started out as the vice president and general manager in 1984 before becoming the owner and CEO in 1997.
Following Irsay's death, Rams owner Stan Kroenke released a statement, sending his thoughts to the Irsay family and Colts organization, as well as Indianapolis fans.
'He loved his family, his team, his city and our league, and his commitment to our collective success helped move the NFL forward for many decades,' Kroenke said in the statement.
In 2009, Irsay was opposed to a group led by Rush Limbaugh attempting to purchase the St. Louis Rams, voicing his concerns about that potential deal.
"I, myself, couldn't even consider voting for him," Irsay said, via ESPN. "When there are comments that have been made that are inappropriate, incendiary and insensitive … our words do damage, and it's something that we don't need."
Kroenke became the full owner of the Rams in 2010, gaining unanimous support from the other owners across the league.
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