Jim Irsay touched the life of every single person he met – and even those he didn't. He's remembered as someone who would give you the shirt off his back, offer support whenever he could and who had an incredible passion for the game of football, the Colts and the city of Indianapolis.
He was a man who cared a lot about winning and even more about family. And to Irsay, everyone was family.
"It was times where I felt like J.I. treated me like I was one of his sons, even though he didn't have any," Reggie Wayne said in May. "It's kind of funny because that's part of the conversation me and Edge (Edgerrin James) had – it was like we were his sons. Like, he would have done anything for us."
Wayne and James will be two of many current and former Colts players and staffers present on Sunday at Lucas Oil Stadium as Irsay is inducted into the Ring of Honor during the Colts' 2025 season opener against the Miami Dolphins, taking his place among the greats of the franchise he dedicated his life to.
After Irsay's name is unveiled in the stands in Lucas Oil Stadium, it will serve as a permanent reminder of a man who loved his job and his community – and a source of inspiration for everyone who knew him.
"We've been talking about it, how we really do have to win for Jim," defensive tackle DeForest Buckner said Thursday. "Start out fast and put something out there that he would be proud of, looking down on us. We definitely take that to heart. Just the footprint that he's left here amongst the players, this organization, the city. This is a special year."
"The family legacy, they built this place," running back Jonathan Taylor said. "They built this place, and it means something...our part in order to move that legacy forward is of course making sure that we're prepared, ready to go, doing what we need to do in the community off the field, but when it comes time to being on the field, it's going about winning the right way."
A true family business, the Colts organization has long been praised for its supportive and welcoming environment; from undrafted rookies to the custodial staff to the owners, everyone belongs and everyone matters from the moment they walk through the doors.
"He preached that the Horseshoe is bigger than everyone," wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. recalled in May. "And he really poured everything he had into this place, and making it the best place possible. And just the way that he treated people — you would think somebody of his status would just kind of delegate everything else to everyone because of his stature, but he really wanted to be in here doing everything with us, and I feel like that's what really made him special."
Cornerback Kenny Moore II was among the multitudes of people who felt Irsay's generosity and love firsthand; when one of Moore's family members passed away in-season one year, Irsay coordinated the travel in order for Moore to go home and attend the funeral with his family. A two-time Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee, Moore always puts his teammates and community above himself – and that time, he was able to feel the same love he spreads every day.
"Having a family-oriented guy and having a guy that values certain moments like that, I was able to live that moment," Moore recalled. "I'm forever thankful and that's something I'll cherish each day."
"You want to do a lot of things for other people, you want to have a big heart," Moore said. "And there's no better person to be that example."
One of the longest-tenured players on the team, Moore is entering his ninth season with the Colts. Even those who were only around Irsay for a few years, or even less time than that, though, understand how special it was to know him.
"The word that comes to mind when I think about it is just gratitude, just thankful," head coach Shane Steichen said. "Anytime you're in this league, you never take it for granted. It's a blessing to be a part of this thing, and for him to give me the opportunity to be here – and not only me, but every single person that's in this building says a lot about who he is. We always talk about the generosity and the person he is, and how he treated people the right way consistently, was always pulling (for) and had everyone's back. So, to honor him this season will be big for us."
In the heart of downtown Indianapolis, plastered across the J.W. Marriott, is the Colts' slogan for 2025: "For the City. For the Boss. For the Shoe." Buckner, Moore, Taylor and guard Quenton Nelson – all team captains – are on the graphic as well, perfect representations of everything the Colts, and Irsay, stand for. But you could also put any coach, any player, any staff member up there.
That was the organization Irsay built, and that is the legacy he will leave.
"It's going to be a really special moment, a really special season," Taylor said. "Because it was built on something special."
