END OF AN ERA

Indianapolis Colts Owner Jim Irsay Dies at 65

The NFL boss “peacefully in his sleep,” the franchise said.

Jim Irsay, the longtime owner of the Indianapolis Colts who presided over one of the team’s most successful eras, has died. He was 65. The team released a statement saying that Irsay had “passed away peacefully in his sleep” on Wednesday afternoon. “Jim’s dedication and passion for the Indianapolis Colts in addition to his generosity, commitment to the community, and most importantly, his love for his family were unsurpassed,” the statement added. It did not disclose a cause of death. Irsay had struggled with health and mobility issues which caused him to largely withdraw from public life, although he remained involved with the NFL and managing the Colts. He was treated for severe respiratory illness in both January and March last year, and previously said he had been doing well despite undergoing 26 surgeries over the past seven years. “We were deeply saddened to learn of Jim Irsay’s passing today,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. “Jim was a friend, and a man deeply committed to his family, the game, the Colts, and the Indianapolis community. On behalf of the entire NFL, I extend my heartfelt condolences to Jim’s daughters and their families, and to his many friends throughout the NFL.”