The Indianapolis Colts are set to honor their late owner Jim Irsay by wearing a black jersey patch throughout the 2025 NFL season, the team announced Tuesday.
The Colts’ jersey patch contains several elements that will pay homage to Irsay. Those include the following, per the team’s official website:
- Irsay’s initials;
- Irsay’s signature, which includes his ‘trademark smiley face;’
- Seven grommets, the same number adorning the Colts’ horseshoe logo.
Below is a look at the jersey patch, via Joel Erickson of the Indianapolis Star.
Irsay became the Colts owner in 1997 after winning a legal battle with his stepmother, Nancy, to inherit the team after his father Robert’s death. Irsay became the NFL’s youngest owner at age 37 and oversaw one of the franchise’s most successful periods.
The Colts’ success under Irsay was sparked by Indianapolis’ decision to select Peyton Manning with the No. 1 overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft. Manning helped turn the Colts into a perennial contender and guided them to a Super Bowl 41 win over the Chicago Bears.
Away from the gridiron, Irsay spent time amassing one of the most impressive collections of music and pop culture memorabilia in the world and serving as the face of the Colts’ ‘Kick the Stigma’ campaign. In the latter role, he drew from his own experiences with substance abuse in the hopes of goal of helping people suffering from mental health issues.
Irsay died in his sleep on the afternoon of Wednesday, May 21. He was 65 years old. No cause of death has been disclosed.