The NFL world was rocked yesterday with the sudden announcement that Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay passed away at the age of 65. The Colts made the announcement in the afternoon on Wednesday, saying that Irsay passed away peacefully in his sleep. Consequently, The Fan Morning Show featuring Kevin Bowen, James Boyd, and Jeff Rickard began their program today having to balance the excitement of the Indiana Pacers’ overtime win last night over the New York Knicks with the sobering news of Irsay’s passing.
While sharing their condolences with the audience, Rickard also shared a personal story which involved Irsay and a recent health scare of his.
“Five and a half years ago, I had a massive heart attack. When they were going in to insert a stent, they nicked my artery, and I bled out in my heart sac. Basically, I had no heartbeat for 27 minutes,” explained Rickard. “Finally, they light flighted me to Methodist, and spent the next 10 days at Methodist. I don’t know if I’ve told this story a ton, maybe a few people. Jim Irsay was the very first person to reach out for me and make sure things were going okay and say ‘we’re thinking about you.’ Not the Indianapolis Colts. Jim Irsay.”
Irsay had been involved with the Colts since he assumed management of the team in 1995 and officially owned the team since 1997, following the death of his father, Robert Irsay. Under Jim Irsay’s leadership, the Colts became one of the most dominant franchises for nearly a decade. Ultimately, they won Super Bowl XLI with Peyton Manning at quarterback.
Furthermore, Bowen offered a reflection on Irsay’s uniqueness among sports owners. “I think about owners in sports. They ain’t like Jim Irsay,” said Bowen. “They are not wired with the genuine fandom and passion. Our city needed a cheerleader for an owner when the Colts moved here in 1984.”
In addition, Bowen remarked that there are very few owners who have had players choose them to be inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Irsay, however, did just that with Edgerrin James, Marvin Harrison, and Dwight Freeney.
Moreover, Boyd highlighted Irsay’s commitment to mental health awareness. “What I always loved and respected about him as the person was the mental health outreach,” noted Boyd. “I’ve dealt with things in my own family, things in my own personal life, dealing with mental health and making sure that you be kind to your mind. He was someone who I thought, here’s a billionaire saying I have these big feelings, and I have to deal with these in a certain way. Always respected that.”
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