Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay has died at the age of 65, and a number of former players have expressed their grief. Colts legend Peyton Manning is one of those players, and he is “heartbroken” by Irsay’s death.
Throughout his 13 seasons with the Colts, Manning formed a close bond with Irsay. In a post on Instagram, Manning paid tribute to Irsay, remembering his love for the players and the entire city of Indianapolis.
“I am heartbroken to hear about Jim Irsay’s passing,” Manning wrote. “He was an incredibly generous and passionate owner and I will always be indebted to him for giving me my start in the NFL. His love for the Colts and the city of Indy was unmatched. His impact on the players who played for him will not be forgotten. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and everyone in the Colts community. He will be missed. Jim, rest in peace my friend, #18″
Irsay was the Colts’ owner in 1998, when the team selected Manning with the No. 1 overall pick. That decision proved to be a wise one as Manning became one of the greatest quarterbacks in league history.
In his 208 games with the Colts, Manning threw for 54,828 yards, 399 touchdowns and 198 interceptions. Throughout his run with Indianapolis, Manning won four MVP awards and led the team to a win in Super Bowl XLI.
Jim Irsay dies at 65: Indianapolis Colts owner took over team in 1997, oversaw Super Bowl XLI victory
Shanna McCarriston
In 2017, the Colts unveiled a statue of Manning outside Lucas Oil Stadium. When the statue was announced, Irsay said it would serve as a place for fans to honor a franchise legend.
“(The statue) will be a destination spot for all of our fans … to leave cans of Budweiser or notes for (Manning),” Irsay said at the time. “We couldn’t be more excited about the statue. It’s not too often you build statues for people, particularly in their lifetime, but we are really excited about putting this iconic statue in front of Lucas Oil Stadium where it will stand for many, many years.”
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