ESPN's Pat McAfee is one of many former Indianapolis Colts players mourning the loss of team owner Jim Irsay.
Irsay passed away in his sleep Wednesday afternoon at the age of 65. The son of Robert Irsay, who moved the Colts from Baltimore to Indianapolis in 1984, Irsay ran the franchise from 1997 until his death.
McAfee, who punted for the Colts from 2009-16, released a lengthy statement on social media Wednesday, calling Irsay's death "devastating."
"This is devastating.. Jim had friendships with a lot of his former players.. I was lucky to be one of them," McAfee wrote. "Playing for a team that Mr Irsay ran was an honor. He was funny, brilliant, unique, and somehow still wildly relatable for a man who became the sole owner of an NFL team at the age of 37.. and before that, hired as the youngest general manager in the history of the league as a 24 year old.
"He battled his demons, as we all do but, God blessed Jim Irsay with an abundance of compassion.. he wanted to give back/help everybody and everything he saw or knew about… putting a list together of all of the causes/things/people that he's given to would be an impossible task.. probably well over $100,000,000.. there was even a whale about to get an assist from Jim at one point."
Irsay was known for his candid, sometimes funny posts on social media. He also had a tremendous love of music and memorabilia, and on a personal level, was quite open over the years about his substance abuse issues.
"Jim was a real one.. and we will all miss the s--t out of him," McAfee added. "I send my positive prayers and vibes to his daughters, his grandkids, his loved ones, his staff, and everybody who has been working with Jim for the last 40 years. Thank you for EVERYTHING big man.. You were a damn legend."
According to the Indianapolis Star, Irsay's three daughters will assume ownership of the Colts following his death, with one of them, Carlie Irsay-Gordon, taking over the club's football operations.
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This story was originally published May 22, 2025 at 6:19 AM.