Earlier this year, Jim Irsay - longtime owner of the Indianapolis Colts - passed away suddenly, leaving Colts nation stunned. Irsay, just 65 years old when he died, was a longtime champion of mental health and had been open about his struggles with addiction.
Irsay had been involved with the Colts for a long time before his father, Robert Irsay, passed away. After his father suffered a stroke in 1995, he launched a two-year legal battle to retain ownership of the team.
Irsay quickly ushered in the most successful era in Colts' history, bringing in Peyton Manning in 1998. This led to an Indianapolis dynasty, which included a Super Bowl win and multiple Hall-of-Famers.
Colts legends come back to Indy for Irsay
And he accomplished this as the youngest owner in the league.
After his death, the Colts made sure to honor him, and it was clear that his loss was a huge blow not only for the football team but for the entire Indianapolis sports community. One of Irsay's greatest legacies was Kicking the Stigma, a mental health initiative, and it won the Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year from the ESPYs.
It was announced that the team would wear special patches in his honor all season, and that he would be inducted into the Colts' Ring of Honor during Week 1. And Colts Nation showed up in a big way to say goodbye.
The Colts promised they would win for Jim this season, and they delivered on that promise in Week 1. And there was no better game to do so than the game in which Irsay was officially memorialized forever in Indianapolis.
w̶i̶n̶ won for Jim 💙 pic.twitter.com/kipbEYS6am
— Indianapolis Colts (@Colts) September 7, 2025
The induction ceremony took place at halftime, and many of the current members of the Ring of Honor were in attendance. This included Dallas Clark, Dwight Freeney, Edgerrin James, Marvin Harrison, Robert Mathis, Jeff Saturday, Reggie Wayne, and none other than Peyton Manning himself.
In all, it was a fitting tribute to the man who shaped Indianapolis in so many ways, and who continues to motivate the Colts.
big win for Danny Dimes & the @Colts 👏 pic.twitter.com/qXhvdLeC4I
— NFL (@NFL) September 7, 2025
Head coach Shane Steichen also introduced another season-long tradition for the Colts: a blue guitar, with a horseshoe and the words "Win for Jim" engraved onto it, that one player will bring into each game in Irsay's honor; for Week 1, the player Steichen chose was DeForest Buckner.
After the player chosen each week brings it into the locker room, it will be placed on display for every player, coach, and staffer to see. "Even though he's not physically with us anymore, he's always with us in spirit," Steichen said. "And that's part of him traveling with us, every game."