The NFL is mourning the loss of legends one after the other this year. But as far as the Indianapolis Colts are concerned, nothing is hitting them harder than the loss of Jim Irsay. “Go PACERS. Good luck to Herb, the entire @Pacers organization, and our city!” This was the final message Jim Irsay left for the world. He was all in for his city, right until the last moment. And as the Colts look ahead with tearful eyes, their HC, Shane Steichen, has made a vow that is resonating with the entire team.
Losing someone, we try to move forward with their legacy and memory in our minds, and honor them through our actions. That is the reality the Indianapolis Colts face now. But they are not just remembering the kindest, most generous man they’ve ever known. They are on a mission to carve out a legacy that will make Irsay proud.
On their OTA presser on 28th May, Shane Steichen shared his condolences for Jim Irsay’s family, and then made a declaration that kindled hope all across Indianapolis. “I’d like to start off, condolences to the entire Irsay family. – Prayers and thoughts with them during this time. A lot of you guys knew Mr. Irsay really well and covered this team for a long time. And I was with them for two years. Phenomenal human being. You guys know how generous he was. I told the team last week, every time I talked to him in the building, on the phone, every time, he would always tell me at the end, ‘coach, whatever you need for this team, this organization, we got you.’ And that was the man he was. – And we’re going to honor this season for Jim. And we’re going to win for Jim this year, for sure.”
Shane Steichen, as the Colts begin OTAs one week after owner Jim Irsay passed away.
“We’re gonna win for Jim this year. For sure.” pic.twitter.com/SMwlWbECEs
— Dave Griffiths (@DaveG_Sports) May 28, 2025
With this declaration, the Colts will give it their all through the OTAs, and of course, the whole season. It is bittersweet excitement that grasps Indiana as the Colts look to the future. But for now, they remember the kind and generous man who made everything possible for them. And they honoring the legacy he left behind.
The Colts gear up to honor Jim Irsay
Jim Irsay wasn’t always the face of the Colts. As NFL reporter Zak Keefer said, “He started out as a ballboy, scooping up jockstraps in the locker room. He was a GM at 25, an owner at 37. He was honest and unpredictable and complicated, but he poured his heart and soul into his team for 50+ years.” And that is the legacy the Colts are honoring today. It isn’t just Shane Steichen who remembers him fondly, it’s the entire organization that was loved by and cared for by Jim Irsay. And they are already making him proud.
At the OTAs on 28th May, the staff as well as players notably wore a white t-shirt with a picture of Jim Irsay powerlifting printed on it. They were also wearing pins with Irsay’s initials, signature, and “trademark smiley face”. This same thing will be featured on all the Colts jerseys this season. And as the presser, the stories of Jim Irsay continued. DT Forest Buckner noted Irsay’s generosity and remembered a time when he flew Buckner to Panama on his private jet. The reason? So that Buckner could get stem cell treatment after he got a high-ankle sprain. As Steichen remembers Irsay saying, “whatever you need – we got you,” clearly, that wasn’t just limited to the coach. The entire team was his family.
Even WR coach Reggie Wayne gave a tearful tribute to Jim Irsay and said, “It’s like losing a family member.” As the NFL community bands together to mourn the great man that was Jim Irsay, the Colts are going to honor his legacy with everything they’ve got. And the determination and heart they are showing already, who knows, it might just be their season this year.
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