Jim Irsay will be inducted into the Colts Ring of Honor to open the 2025 season, with the late Colts Owner and CEO taking his permanent place at Lucas Oil Stadium alongside players he cared so deeply for during his five decades with the franchise.
The Colts on Friday announced Irsay will be inducted into the Colts Ring of Honor during Sept. 7's season opener against the Miami Dolphins at Lucas Oil Stadium. The announcement was made on Friday, June 13th, which would've been Irsay's 66th birthday.
"There was no bigger advocate for the Colts, the NFL, the city of Indianapolis and the state of Indiana than our dad, Jim Irsay," said Colts Owner & CEO Carlie Irsay-Gordon. "It's only fitting that he now joins the other amazing Colts legends in our Ring of Honor who contributed so much to our franchise and our community over the past four decades."
Irsay will be the 20th member of the Colts Ring of Honor. He will join his father, Owner Robert Irsay, who was the inaugural inductee into the Colts Ring of Honor in 1996.
Jim and Robert Irsay will be affixed in the Colts Ring of Honor along with wide receiver Bill Brooks (1998), head coach Ted Marchibroda (2000), offensive lineman Chris Hinton (2001), quarterback Jim Harbaugh (2005), "Colts Nation" (2007), head coach Tony Dungy (2010), wide receiver Marvin Harrison Sr. (2011), running back Edgerrin James (2012), running back Eric Dickerson (2013), running back Marshall Faulk (2013), center Jeff Saturday (2015), general manager Bill Polian (2016), quarterback Peyton Manning (2017), wide receiver Reggie Wayne (2018), defensive end Dwight Freeney (2019), defensive end Robert Mathis (2021), tackle Tarik Glenn (2022) and tight end Dallas Clark (2024).
Irsay's relationship with those who wore the Horsehoe was special, and his love for his team's players was reciprocated in significant ways. Harrison, James and Freeney all chose Irsay to present them for their respective inductions into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, an honor rarely bestowed upon a team owner – but a fitting one because of the care and support Irsay unconditionally showed players during his tenure as Owner and CEO, which began in 1997.
Through Irsay's vision and guidance, the Colts produced a historic, record-smashing period of success, culminating in Indianapolis' first Lombardi Trophy with a win over the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI. From 2000 to 2009, the Colts won 115 regular season games – which at the time was an NFL record for a single decade – and featured at least six Pro Football Hall of Famers: Polian, Dungy, Manning, Harrison, James and Freeney.
Irsay oversaw a total of 10 division titles, two AFC Championships and a Super Bowl victory during his time as Owner and CEO. At the league level, Irsay served on influential ownership committees, helping shape the direction of the NFL for decades.
Beyond the field, Irsay made a tremendous impact on the lives of those in Indianapolis, the state of Indiana and the United States. He was a devoted, caring philanthropist who helped people in ways both big and small – and his help often came anonymously, or away from the media spotlight.
In 2020, Irsay, his family and the Colts launched Kicking The Stigma with the goal of improving mental health awareness, research and treatment – a deeply personal and critically important issue to Irsay and his family. In the five years since its launch, Kicking The Stigma has committed more than $31 million toward mental health initiatives, which have included airing PSAs to raise awareness and knock down barriers for those who need help, funding research programs to develop new ways of treating mental health disorders, and expanding access to mental health treatment for those in Indiana and beyond.
Through everything Irsay did, and through everything he was as a person – both with the Colts on the field and in the community – he left a permanent mark on Indianapolis, the NFL, the state of Indiana and the United States.
And on Sept. 7, Irsay will take his permanent place among the greats of the franchise he shaped in his image.
Fans interested in attending the Ring of Honor celebration on Sept. 7 at Lucas Oil Stadium can find tickets **here**.
