Indianapolis Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon is in the headlines once again for her sideline behavior
Indianapolis Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon is in the headlines once again for her sideline behavior
Indianapolis Colts owner and CEO Carlie Irsay-Gordon’s sideline behavior is under fire once again as sports critic Bill Simmons calls it "nuts" in his latest podcast episode.
Sunday, October 4, saw the Indianapolis Colts beat the Washington Commanders, 30-13, at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, and as expected, Colts’ owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon’s sideline behavior is once again under scrutiny.
The game kicked off at 9.30 am ET, and the Colts' sideline was once again a topic of discussion, with fans noticing owner Irsay-Gordon walking around. Her notepad and headset frequently tend to invoke a reaction from viewers, and this time was no different.
This week, sportscaster Bill Simmons has decided not to mince his words, as he called the NFL team owner's behavior "f— nuts," despite Irsay-Gordon having addressed her actions previously.
1 of 10
All eyes on Carlie Irsay-Gordon
After beating the Washington Commanders 30-13 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London on Sunday, October 4, the Indianapolis Colts are once again in the headlines — albeit more for their owner's antics than their gameplay. Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon's hands-on management approach has attracted tons of controversy and backlash in the past, with the NFL team owner often seen pacing on the sideline donning a headset and taking notes. Now, sportscaster Bill Simmons has called her behavior "f— nuts."
(Image:
Getty Images)
2. 2 of 10
One of the few women leaders in the NFL
Irsay-Gordon inherited the NFL team from her father, Jim Irsay, in 2025 following his death. Since then, she has firmly established herself as one of the few women in the NFL who hold a leadership role within a franchise. (Image:Getty Images)
3. Irsay-Gordon has increasingly taken heat for her sideline behavior and involvement with the Colts players and coaching staff since assuming her leadership position in the franchise in 2025, with some labeling her approach as "micromanaging." The NFL team owner is often seen donning a game-day headset, studying play-call sheets and asking coaching staff questions during games.
(Image:
Getty Images)
4. The 45-year-old is also known to attend player meetings and spend time in the gym with the Colts squad. While seeing a team owner on the sidelines during games is no extraordinary sight, it's Irsay-Gordon’s focused use of a notepad, game-day headset, and all-around hands-on management approach that tends to evoke a strong reaction from onlookers.
(Image:
Getty Images)
5 of 10
'F—ing nuts'
Irsay-Gordon’s hands-on sideline antics have recently been deemed "f—ing nuts" by prominent sportscaster Bill Simmons. Speaking on 'The Bill Simmons Podcast' recently, the sports critic said: " I’m not gonna tiptoe around this anymore. And I know it’s been a topic the last couple weeks. I think the owner on the sideline taking notes is f—ing nuts. I think it’s nuts." ( Image: Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
2. 6 of 10
Simmons is not holding back
Simmons continued: "I think it’s bonkers. I can’t believe she does this, and I can’t believe people in her life haven’t talked her out of it. And now there’s this push of like, 'Oh, no, no, no, she’s really into…' If a male owner was doing this, we would be ridiculing this guy till the cows came home." He added: "Even Jerry Jones wouldn’t do that." (Image:Getty Images for Vanity Fair)
3. Bill's blatant public criticism comes after Irsay-Gordon has already previously addressed the backlash surrounding her behavior and defended her decision to remain on the sideline during Colts games. The Colts owner has previously explained that she believes being close to the game action helps her learn more about the team.
(Image:
Getty Images)
8 of 10
NFL team owner has addressed her sideline behavior
Shedding light on her sideline game-day routine, Irsay-Gordon previously told the Colts' official website: "I think one of the things that I learned in going through, even as back as when we hired Chuck Pagano (in 2012), is that sort of accelerated my, ‘I need to learn more about this.'" She continued: "I need to be able to say, 'Is this person full of BS? Do they even know what they’re talking about?'" (Image:Getty Images)
2. Irsay-Gordon added: "And I think one of the things that being on the headset has really helped me learn is to the question earlier, it’s such a complex organism of football team and how it operates... I think that’s been very valuable, because it also helps us be able to know where do we need to make tweaks, what resources do we need, what do we need to fix."
(Image:
Getty Images)
3. In fact, Irsay-Gordon suggests others pick up a hands-on approach too: "So much of it comes down to just how we operate and how things work and the headsets – I would suggest it for anyone else that has to pay coaches and GMs millions and millions of dollars. It helps you make a less expensive mistake potentially."
(Image:
Getty Images)