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Indianapolis Star
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Indianapolis Star
Doyel: Jim Irsay's daughters sound ready not just to own the Colts franchise
This was the realization of a decades-old dream, a day wanted by everybody in the family, and nobody. Because it means Jim Irsay is gone. News: Colts will stay in Indy, says new trio of owners, Jim Irsay's daughters Irsay died May 21 at age 65. He died too young, too soon, but he did not die unprepared. He worked hard in life to make sure his team, in death, would pass seamlessly to his daughters. 'As you know,' one of the daughters was saying Tuesday, 'a lot of family things get ripped apart.' Not this one. Jim Irsay loved the Indianapolis Colts, and he passed this franchise – and that love – along to his girls. 'He ingrained that in all of us,' said Colts owner and executive vice president Casey Foyt. 'From such a young age – which was priceless, really.' Said Colts owner and CEO Carlie Irsay-Gordon: 'Christmas, holidays, people can say, 'Oh, I don't get this day off.' We don't know it any different.' Added Colts owner and chief brand manager Kalen Jackson: 'Our lives have always revolved around the football schedule.' That was good. That's what everyone wanted. So this, too, was good – this day when the daughters took charge of the Indianapolis Colts. And yet… 'The hardest thing (was) he always knew he wouldn't be able to be here,' Kalen was saying. 'That makes today extremely bittersweet.' Doyel's Irsay obituary: Jim Irsay died and we're less for it; Indianapolis, the Colts, all of us Doyel from the funeral: This was a day to learn even more about Jim Irsay The news conference wasn't exactly a Jim Irsay production. He was one of one, unique in a world where, yes, everyone is unique – but some people are just a little more unique than others. That was Jim. He was funny, he was bombastic, he was defiant. And in his daughters, there were obvious traces of their old man. There was humor. That was Carlie. 'In honor of my dad,' she said after sitting down at 3:29 p.m. to start the 3:30 news conference, 'we considered whether we should be 30 minutes late.' There was a vow to pursue another Super Bowl. That was Casey. 'While we are mourning our dad,' she said, 'we feel energized and want to continue his legacy of bringing home another Super Bowl to the city of Indianapolis.' And there was defiance. That was Kalen. 'Although maybe you guys didn't see some of the stuff we were doing behind he scenes,' she said when asked how she would 'reassure' Colts fans that the team was in good hands, 'we were part of the process. We might not have been the ones making the decisions, but we were exposed to every area. He never cut us out of any area.' The daughters made it clear: They are in charge. 'We talk about not micromanaging,' Carlie said, 'but also we have a standard here – and it hasn't been good enough." Carlie added: 'We know we have some things to fix.' Jim Irsay's daughters sound ready not just to own the team, but to run it. Not as their dad ran it, no. Again, there was only one Jim Irsay, who grew up in the locker room of his dad's Baltimore Colts, washing uniforms and lifting weights with players and becoming the league's youngest general manager at age 24. 'For women, opportunities to work in places like the equipment room – it's different,' Carlie said. 'I had to take a different path.' She interned in sales and marketing, worked in administration and football operations, and in 2004 began representing the team at NFL meetings. Kalen and Casey have focused more on marketing and/or community efforts. It's Kalen who has spearheaded the Colts' groundbreaking Kicking the Stigma initiative, raising awareness for mental health issues. And it was Kalen who said their dad had prepared all three girls for this moment – and not just for marketing and/or community efforts. Doyel in 2023: Scars of Irsay family's mental health issues run deep. They share to help others. 'There will be no decision we make that we will not hear (his) voice in the back of our head: 'When I'm not there, remember…'' Kalen said. 'I can't tell you how many conversations like that we had, and from such a young age. When I look back now I'm kind of surprised, but he trusted us. He knew the seriousness of the job, and we honored that.' Carlie is the Irsay daughter you might have seen at training camp, walking the sidelines in a headset, taking notes. Asked Tuesday about wearing a headset all these years, Carlie said it allowed her to learn not just about the game, but about the people making decisions about the game. 'Is this person full of BS,' she said, 'or do they know what they're talking about? 'Being on the headset has helped me learn … how we operate, how things work. I would suggest for anyone else who has to pay a general manager and coaches millions and millions of dollars: It helps to (inform) decisions.' Speaking of the Colts' GM and coach… Insider: Carlie Irsay-Gordon on Ballard, Steichen: 'It hasn't been good enough' Carlie did most of the talking about football. Yes, Casey was the one who brought up one of her dad's favorite topics – winning another Super Bowl – and Kalen was more than comfortable talking about leadership, and some of the lessons their dad taught them, like: 'You hire the right people, you get out of the way and trust them, and you don't micromanage,' Kalen said. But it was Carlie who fielded most questions about matters of football. For example: Are GM Chris Ballard and coach Shane Steichen 'tied at the hip?' That was one question. Here was Carlie's answer. 'I can't answer that right now,' she said. 'I know that relationship is very important … and they have a great relationship. We've had scenarios where that wasn't always the case.' And she added: 'Chris and Shane know they have things they need to fix,' Carlie said. 'Winning has been great, but I'd take it a step further and say we're committing to being the best. And I think Chris and Shane are capable of doing that.' Irsay-Gordon said she also believes in quarterback Anthony Richardson, who is sitting out minicamp to rehab a shoulder injury, but couldn't say he's the solution to the Colts' ongoing quarterback problem. She also acknowledged Richardson eventually will be competing – with Daniel Jones – for the starting job. 'We drafted Anthony for a reason – we believe in him. He's incredibly talented,' Carlie said. 'It's way too early to tell. I know Chris and Shane will let us know as we go along. I think he has all the potential in the world, and if he wants to prove it, he can. And he wants to. 'Competition is good. Nothing makes a team raise the water line more than having other people who are really good to keep them accountable. I can't wait for training camp. I'm really excited about it.' Finally, Carlie Irsay-Gordon showed some of the defiance of her dad, echoing something earlier in the news conference by her youngest sister, Kalen. 'We come from a family that didn't start a hedge fund or some other business,' she said. 'For the generation we're in, (football) is our business and we take it very seriously.' Find IndyStar columnist Gregg Doyel on Threads, or on BlueSky and Twitter at @GreggDoyelStar, or at Subscribe to the free weekly Doyel on Demand newsletter.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Jim Irsay built everything we love about downtown Indianapolis
Some cities are shaped by rivers, some by railroads. Indianapolis was reshaped by sports. And no one left a deeper imprint than Jim Irsay. Walk downtown and you'll see the evidence. Children playing in new parks, runners gliding on protected trails and a sports district rivaling cities twice our size. There are tower cranes above hotel rooftops, patios full on weeknights and a steady hum of out-of-towners attending some unheard-of convention. Downtown is alive. People live here, work here and linger here. None of it happened by accident. This is very much part of the legacy of Irsay, who died May 21 at age 65. This transformation stems from a strategy Indianapolis adopted earlier than most: a belief that, while businesses create jobs, cities create places. One of the most pivotal moments came in 1984, when Robert Irsay's Baltimore Colts arrived in Indianapolis. The city had a vision. Leaders including former Mayor Bill Hudnut believed sports could be more than entertainment. They could shape identity, spur investment and give people a reason to come downtown. At a time when most American cities were watching their cores erode, Indianapolis made a bold choice: to bet on connection, culture and, yes, sports. But it wasn't until Jim Irsay stepped into full leadership and the team drafted Peyton Manning in 1998 that the Colts became an unstoppable civic force. The rise of the Colts mirrors the city's own. More from Jeffery Tompkins: Indianapolis makes construction too slow, expensive and exhausting The early 2000s marked a new chapter. The Manning Colts' playoff runs brought sellout crowds and national attention, but they also brought momentum. As Manning broke records on the field, the city was marking milestones of its own. The Indiana Convention Center expanded in space vacated by the former RCA Dome, allowing it to host larger events. Developers began investing in new housing and hotels near the stadium. Construction began on Lucas Oil Stadium, a major public-private investment that would reshape the city's event infrastructure forever. The Colts were no longer just a sports team. They had become part of the city's economy. Their sustained success helped elevate Indianapolis to a top-tier convention and tourism market. That progress culminated in Super Bowl XLVI in 2012, which brought more than $150 million in direct economic impact and gave the city an unforgettable moment on the national stage. The imprint of that era is still everywhere. Georgia Street, transformed ahead of the Super Bowl, functions as a civic plaza and festival corridor in the heart of downtown. Gen Con, once a niche gathering, attracts more than 70,000 attendees each year and ranks among the world's largest tabletop gaming conventions. Visit Indy estimates the city hosted over 800,000 convention attendees last year, generating more than $900 million in direct economic impact. Downtown hotels outperformed expectations, with major events pushing occupancy rates to more than 113% of projected demand last year. These wins ripple outward, supporting hundreds of small businesses, restaurants, coffee shops, hospitality workers, event crews and the countless everyday jobs that make a city go. It's an ecosystem built over decades, and Irsay was at the center. It's not just conventions brought by a new stadium. It's the Colts Canal Playspace, the expanded Cultural Trail, a new YMCA – all sponsored by the Colts. Few cities owe more to a team that relocated. But even fewer owe as much to a team that stayed and to an owner who saw his franchise not as an island, but as part of the city's fabric. Former Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett has credited Indianapolis as the blueprint his city followed to revive its own downtown. The fact that this year's NBA Finals could come down to those very two cities speaks volumes, not just about basketball, but about civic vision and the long arc of strategic investment. That story belongs to many leaders, planners, and institutions, but Irsay's role was singular. He understood that a sports franchise could be more than a team; it could be a partner in the life of a city. His investments extended into community engagement, philanthropic leadership and the kind of cultural presence that helped Indianapolis punch far above its weight on the national stage. As an urban planner, I think about how Irsay came to embody the state he called home. Indiana, ain't it troubled sometimes? But it's also strong. Resilient. A little weathered. Often underestimated. It's got heart. It's bold when it needs to be. It knows how to endure. And, when it's wrong, it knows how to make things right. For all its faults, you love it. The story of downtown Indianapolis rising from anonymity to become an event powerhouse isn't just a story of economics or infrastructure. It's a story of belief. And, in many ways, mirrors Irsay's own. It's not the LED horseshoes along the Circle that let me know Irsay's impact. Nor is it the state-of-the-art YMCA downtown that bears his name. It's the rising skyline, packed sidewalks, the roar of a fall Sunday at the House That Peyton Built – all of it carries the imprint of Irsay's long-term vision. Briggs: Indianapolis needs to raise taxes to fix its potholes Taylor Swift wouldn't be performing three sold-out nights in Indianapolis without the infrastructure, momentum, and yes, reputation sparked by the investments Irsay helped set in motion. Even now, his presence is felt not just in the past wins, but in the way this city continues to dream forward. Like his father before him, Irsay understood that a team needs a community just as much as a community needs a team. That relationship isn't optional. It's foundational. Rest in power, Mr. Irsay. And, yes, the roof will be open. Jeffery Tompkins is an urban planner. He lives in downtown Indianapolis. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: From YMCA to Colts Playspace, Jim Irsay built downtown Indy | Opinion
Indianapolis Star
23-05-2025
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Jim Irsay built everything we love about downtown Indianapolis
Some cities are shaped by rivers, some by railroads. Indianapolis was reshaped by sports. And no one left a deeper imprint than Jim Irsay. Walk downtown and you'll see the evidence. Children playing in new parks, runners gliding on protected trails and a sports district rivaling cities twice our size. There are tower cranes above hotel rooftops, patios full on weeknights and a steady hum of out-of-towners attending some unheard-of convention. Downtown is alive. People live here, work here and linger here. None of it happened by accident. This is very much part of the legacy of Irsay, who died May 21 at age 65. This transformation stems from a strategy Indianapolis adopted earlier than most: a belief that, while businesses create jobs, cities create places. One of the most pivotal moments came in 1984, when Robert Irsay's Baltimore Colts arrived in Indianapolis. The city had a vision. Leaders including former Mayor Bill Hudnut believed sports could be more than entertainment. They could shape identity, spur investment and give people a reason to come downtown. At a time when most American cities were watching their cores erode, Indianapolis made a bold choice: to bet on connection, culture and, yes, sports. But it wasn't until Jim Irsay stepped into full leadership and the team drafted Peyton Manning in 1998 that the Colts became an unstoppable civic force. The rise of the Colts mirrors the city's own. More from Jeffery Tompkins: Indianapolis makes construction too slow, expensive and exhausting The early 2000s marked a new chapter. The Manning Colts' playoff runs brought sellout crowds and national attention, but they also brought momentum. As Manning broke records on the field, the city was marking milestones of its own. The Indiana Convention Center expanded in space vacated by the former RCA Dome, allowing it to host larger events. Developers began investing in new housing and hotels near the stadium. Construction began on Lucas Oil Stadium, a major public-private investment that would reshape the city's event infrastructure forever. The Colts were no longer just a sports team. They had become part of the city's economy. Their sustained success helped elevate Indianapolis to a top-tier convention and tourism market. That progress culminated in Super Bowl XLVI in 2012, which brought more than $150 million in direct economic impact and gave the city an unforgettable moment on the national stage. The imprint of that era is still everywhere. Georgia Street, transformed ahead of the Super Bowl, functions as a civic plaza and festival corridor in the heart of downtown. Gen Con, once a niche gathering, attracts more than 70,000 attendees each year and ranks among the world's largest tabletop gaming conventions. Visit Indy estimates the city hosted over 800,000 convention attendees last year, generating more than $900 million in direct economic impact. Downtown hotels outperformed expectations, with major events pushing occupancy rates to more than 113% of projected demand last year. These wins ripple outward, supporting hundreds of small businesses, restaurants, coffee shops, hospitality workers, event crews and the countless everyday jobs that make a city go. It's an ecosystem built over decades, and Irsay was at the center. It's not just conventions brought by a new stadium. It's the Colts Canal Playspace, the expanded Cultural Trail, a new YMCA – all sponsored by the Colts. Few cities owe more to a team that relocated. But even fewer owe as much to a team that stayed and to an owner who saw his franchise not as an island, but as part of the city's fabric. Former Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett has credited Indianapolis as the blueprint his city followed to revive its own downtown. The fact that this year's NBA Finals could come down to those very two cities speaks volumes, not just about basketball, but about civic vision and the long arc of strategic investment. That story belongs to many leaders, planners, and institutions, but Irsay's role was singular. He understood that a sports franchise could be more than a team; it could be a partner in the life of a city. His investments extended into community engagement, philanthropic leadership and the kind of cultural presence that helped Indianapolis punch far above its weight on the national stage. As an urban planner, I think about how Irsay came to embody the state he called home. Indiana, ain't it troubled sometimes? But it's also strong. Resilient. A little weathered. Often underestimated. It's got heart. It's bold when it needs to be. It knows how to endure. And, when it's wrong, it knows how to make things right. For all its faults, you love it. The story of downtown Indianapolis rising from anonymity to become an event powerhouse isn't just a story of economics or infrastructure. It's a story of belief. And, in many ways, mirrors Irsay's own. It's not the LED horseshoes along the Circle that let me know Irsay's impact. Nor is it the state-of-the-art YMCA downtown that bears his name. It's the rising skyline, packed sidewalks, the roar of a fall Sunday at the House That Peyton Built – all of it carries the imprint of Irsay's long-term vision. Briggs: Indianapolis needs to raise taxes to fix its potholes Taylor Swift wouldn't be performing three sold-out nights in Indianapolis without the infrastructure, momentum, and yes, reputation sparked by the investments Irsay helped set in motion. Even now, his presence is felt not just in the past wins, but in the way this city continues to dream forward. Like his father before him, Irsay understood that a team needs a community just as much as a community needs a team. That relationship isn't optional. It's foundational. Rest in power, Mr. Irsay. And, yes, the roof will be open.
Daily Mirror
22-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Sports legend and businessman dies in his sleep after successful career
Entrepreneur and owner of National Football League (NFL) club Indianapolis Colts Jim Irsay has died aged 65. The music mogul, who had been CEO of Indianapolis Colts since 1997, passed away in his sleep at home, the club announced. They praised the boss' "dedication and passion" for the game, with which he was involved for decades having been part of the set up at Baltimore Colts, which later became Indianapolis Colts. Mr Irsay became the youngest NFL team owner at 37 after his dad, Robert, died. The 258 wins are the fourth-most in the NFL over that timeframe, according to Pro Football Reference. In an emotional statement today, Indianapolis Colts said: "Jim's dedication and passion for the Indianapolis Colts in addition to his generosity, commitment to the community, and most importantly, his love for family were unsurpassed." The business owner, born in Lincolnwood, Illinois, played linebacker in the early 1980s during his time at university but injury ended his pursuits of taking it further. However, alongside ventures in music investments, he worked his way up at Baltimore Colts and, at age 24, he was the youngest to ever hold the title of general manager in the NFL. And since he became Colts owner, the team has won 10 division titles, made the playoffs 18 times, appeared in two Super Bowls and won Super Bowl XLI. Indianapolis won 115 regular season games from 2000 to 2009, which is the second-most in a decade by any NFL team. But in recent years, the father of three faced health problems and was found unresponsive at his property on December 8, 2023 in the Indiana city he'd made home. the day's biggest stories straight to your inbox by signing up for our newsletters . Get all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you by following The Mirror every time you see our name. You can sign up for alerts for breaking news here @MirrorBreaking_ and follow us @DailyMirror , for all the latest updates. Keep up-to-date with your must-see news, features, videos and pictures throughout the day by following us on at
USA Today
24-04-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Every Oregon football player selected in the first round of the NFL draft
Every Oregon football player selected in the first round of the NFL draft The 2025 NFL draft is finally here, and as has become commonplace over the past few years, the Oregon Ducks are expected to be part of the conversation over the next few days. About a dozen former Ducks are expecting to hear their named called at the draft this weekend, with a couple of them holding a good chance to continue Oregon's streak of first-round draft picks, making it five years in a row that a member of the Ducks went among the top 32 picks. In total, Oregon has had 23 first-round picks, dating back to quarterback George Shaw in 1955. There's a chance that that number extends to 24, or even 25 this year, should both DL Derrick Harmon and OT Josh Conerly be selected, which many project to happen in the first round. Should that happen, those two would join an elite list of former Ducks to go in the first round. Here's a look at who came before them. QB George Shaw (1955) Overall Pick: 1 Team: Baltimore Colts DB Jim Smith (1968) Overall Pick: 12 Team: Washington Redskins WR Ahmad Rashad (1972) Overall Pick: 4 Team: St. Louis Cardinals OT Tom Drougas (1972) Overall Pick: 22 Team: Baltimore Colts TE Russ Francis (1975) Overall Pick: 16 Team: New England Patriots DB Mario Clark (1976) Overall Pick: 18 Team: Buffalo Bills OG Gary Zimmerman (1984) Overall Pick: 3 Team: New York Giants QB Chris Miller (1987) Overall Pick: 13 Team: Atlanta Falcons DB Alex Molden (1996) Overall Pick: 11 Team: New Orleans Saints QB Akili Smith (1999) Overall Pick: 3 Team: Cincinnati Bengals QB Joey Harrington (2002) Overall Pick: 3 Team: Detroit Lions DL Haloti Ngata (2006) Overall Pick: 12 Team: Baltimore Ravens RB Jonathan Stewart (2008) Overall Pick: 13 Team: Carolina Panthers DE Dion Jordan (2013) Overall Pick: 3 Team: Miami Dolphins OL Kyle Long (2013) Overall Pick: 20 Team: Chicago Bears QB Marcus Mariota (2015) Overall Pick: 2 Team: Tennessee Titans DE Arik Armstead (2015) Overall Pick: 17 Team: San Francisco 49ers DE DeForest Buckner (2016) Overall Pick: 7 Team: San Francisco 49ers QB Justin Herbert (2020) Overall Pick: 6 Team: Los Angeles Chargers LT Penei Sewell (2021) Overall Pick: 7 Team: Detroit Lions DE Kayvon Thibodeaux (2022) Overall Pick: 5 Team: New York Giants CB Christian Gonzalez (2023) Overall Pick: 17 Team: New England Patriots QB Bo Nix (2024) Overall Pick: 12 Team: Denver Broncos Contact/Follow @Ducks_Wire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Oregon Ducks news, notes, and opinions.
