Tag: Jim Irsay

Edgerrin James explains why Jim Irsay will present him at HOF enshrinement

“Jim Irsay’s my man.” – Edgerrin James on why he chose Irsay to present his Hall of Fame enshrinement.

Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay will be the one to present former running back Edgerrin James at the latter’s Hall of Fame enshrinement in August.

James was inducted as a part of the Hall of Fame Class of 2020. However, the enshrinement ceremony was postponed to 2021 due to COVID-19. Now, James will be enshrined during the same weekend as Peyton Manning, and he knew right away who would be presenting him.

“Jim Irsay’s my man,” James told reporters Wednesday. “He’s always taken good care of me. Irsay has always been, like, super cool from Day 1. Even though I went to Arizona (as a free agent) the relationship remained the same. He’s an important person to myself and the relationship that we’ve built over the years. I have so much respect for Mr. Irsay and the organization, I thought it would only be right.”

James was inducted into the Colts’ Ring of Honor in 2012 and is currently the franchise leader in the major rushing categories.

The No. 4 overall pick from the 1999 NFL draft holds the Colts franchise records for career rushing yards (9,226), career rushing touchdowns (64), rushing yards per game average (96.1), most rushing yards in a single season (1,709) and most seasons with 1,000 rushing yards (5).

James is set to be enshrined in Canton on Aug. 7, which will be a big weekend that combines the 2020 and 2021 Hall of Fame classes.

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Colts’ Jim Irsay shows support for Raiders’ Carl Nassib

Jim Irsay gives his support to Carl Nassib.

Indianapolis Colts owner and CEO Jim Irsay showed his support for Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Carl Nassib in a tweet on Wednesday.

On Monday, Nassib came out as the NFL’s first-ever active gay player when he made his announcement via Instagram.

Irsay tweeted his support, commending Nassib’s decision to come out, a decision that was met with heaps of praise and support on social media.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell also gave a statement quickly following Nassib’s announcement.

“Representation matters,” Goodell said in a statement. “We share his hope that someday soon statements like his will no longer be newsworthy as we march toward full equality for the LGBTQ+ community. We wish Carl the best of luck this coming season.”

Nassib also donated $100,000 to The Trevor Project, an organization that focuses on suicide prevention for the LGBTQ+ community.

Former Missouri and St. Louis Rams defensive end Michael Sam was the first-ever gay player drafted into the NFL in 2014 but was cut before the regular season started.

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Jim Irsay: Colts’ success in 2021 dependent on Carson Wentz

Irsay knows the team’s success is dependent on its new QB.

Indianapolis Colts owner and CEO echoed the same thoughts that fans have had over the last month or so after the team traded for quarterback Carson Wentz.

That notion is regardless of what the team does in the draft, their success in 2021 is largely dependent on which type of player Wentz is for the Colts in his first season.

“Let’s be honest about the situation, how well is Carson Wentz going to do, I think that is really going to dictate just how far we go. That’s just reality,” Irsay said on 1070 The Fan this week. “Now, he needs support. He needs people around him. We saw the Super Bowl and (Patrick) Mahomes with no (offensive) tackles. He looked pedestrian. That’ll happen because you need support. But, really, if Frank Reich can get Carson Wentz’s play to an extremely high level and we feel that he can, and Carson, unquestionably, has every single tool mentally, physically, emotionally to do that, then you’ve got something special.”

Irsay isn’t saying anything we don’t already know. The quarterback position is incredibly important for every team and Colts fans have seen first-hand what happens when they can’t get even league-average play from the position.

How quickly Wentz can get assimilated into the playbook and the mentality that Reich and Ballard have instilled in the locker room will be interesting to watch. The Colts also have some issues to work out when it comes to Wentz’s mechanics.

Even so, Irsay is hopeful that the collective minds in Indy can get Wentz back to where he was as an above-average quarterback. But he understands that only time will tell with this kind of situation.

“There’s no doubt about it. That’s what I know Colts fans will be looking to see, just how good can Carson Wentz get? That’s really the intriguing question that everyone has and only time will tell,” Irsay said.

It will be tough for Wentz to live up to the 2020 season that Philip Rivers gave the Colts but if Reich can get his mind right and they can fix his lower-half mechanics, there is at least upside for the 28-year-old to deliver.

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Jim Irsay hinting the Colts need more capable CBs

Irsay wants more consistency in the CB room.

The 2021 NFL draft is officially one week away, and the Indianapolis Colts are going to be targeting several positions of need when the offseason’s biggest weekend arrives.

While on 1070 The Fan on Wednesday, Colts owner and CEO Jim Irsay talked about the team needs entering the draft. We know edge rusher and left tackle lead the way, but Irsay thinks adding more capable players to the cornerback position is a must.

“I think we have a chance to be pretty special if we can find 3 corners that are really capable guys,” Irsay said. “I feel we have at least 2 now. That’s going to make a huge difference.”

What’s interesting about Irsay’s comments are the fact that he feels the Colts really only have two capable cornerbacks. With Kenny Moore in there as the team’s best cornerback and with Xavier Rhodes returning, the jury is still out on Rock Ya-Sin.

The former second-round pick had an up and down season in 2020. He showed some development but also had some moments that kept him from seeing the field later on.

According to Pro Football Focus, Ya-Sin allowed a 105.5 passer rating, 14.8 yards per reception and a 68.3% completion rate on 63 targets in 2020.

There are a few cornerbacks the Colts could target early on in the draft to compete for that starting boundary role opposite Rhodes but the hope is that Ya-Sin can develop his game into a more consistent starter.

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Jim Irsay sees beginning of ‘golden era’ for Colts

Jim Irsay is bullish on the next decade.

Indianapolis Colts owner and CEO Jim Irsay isn’t shy about his feelings toward the direction of the organization, especially after acquiring quarterback Carson Wentz from the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason.

Though there are many questions yet to be answered at key positions, Irsay is feeling bullish about the team and the future of the organization. So bullish, in fact, Irsay believes a golden era is on the horizon.

“As a franchise, you really feel blessed because I do feel Chris is on that track. I really do and I feel Frank Reich is on that track,” Irsay told reporters Thrusday. “I really believe that you will see a golden era develop as we go into this decade sitting here in 2021. I believe it with all my heart and soul.”

The Colts have been heading in the right direction for a while now. They looked primed to be perennial contenders in the AFC until Andrew Luck retired. Then it seemed they would have a short window with Philip Rivers but he also wound up calling it a career after a strong 2020 season.

But now the Colts are rolling with Wentz, who had his introductory press conference on Thursday as well. A lot must be done in order to get him right and get him to a point where he can carry this offense both from a mental and a physical standpoint.

Irsay still feels, though, that the next decade could be the Colts’ to take.

“There is good reason to believe it,” Irsay said. “You talk to people around the league and people that know, they are going to agree with what I’m saying when they look at Chris Ballard and Frank Reich and the expectations going into this decade that we have for both of them leading the team.”

The Colts still have some big needs to address and they been extremely quiet in free agency. They have yet to find a left tackle to replace Anthony Castonzo while defensive end and cornerback are two positions that need major upgrades.

Even with all that, Irsay believes the Colts have the right group in place to make this next decade filled with successful seasons from Lucas Oil Stadium.

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Colts make joint donation to support Houston Winter Storm Relief Fund

Colts make joint donation with the division to aid the winter storms in Houston.

The Indianapolis Colts, along with the Jacksonville Jaguars and Tennessee Titans, made a joint donation of $100,000 to the Houston/Harris County Winter Storm Relief Fund, the team announced Wednesday.

In an effort to help those impacted by the 2021 winter storms that hit the country last week, the AFC South teams were joined in a match donation by NFL Foundations, which brings the total donation to $200,000.

“While we regularly square off against our division rivals on Sundays in the fall, some things are bigger than football, and now is one of those times,” said Colts Owner & CEO Jim Irsay in a statement. “The Colts are happy and proud to join with the Jaguars and Titans organizations as well as the NFL Foundation to assist our NFL family in Houston that is facing enormous challenges right now. All of us here in Indianapolis are thinking of and praying for the Houston community and others throughout Texas who have been impacted.”

This isn’t all that unprecedented. The AFC South did the same thing in 2020 when Nashville was hit by a tornado.

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Jim Irsay: Andrew Luck ‘more retired now’ than he was last year

Irsay sets the record straight.

There are droves of Indianapolis Colts fans who simply want to move on from the Andrew Luck saga. The writers who cover the team feel the exact same way.

Then, there are some fans who want to keep the pipe dream alive that the quirky signal-caller will one day make his return to the horseshoe. Colts owner Jim Irsay wanted to put an end to that notion—more so than has already been done multiple times over.

“I’ll say this Chris: Colts fans, I really think they kinda need to digest this fact that he’s more retired now than he was a year and a half ago,” Irsay told Chris Wildic of CBS4. “I can say that he definitely is retired and there’s really no wiggle room or rumor or anything as much as people would like to hear that.”

As it goes, there was a rumor circulating about Luck having a meeting with “Jimmy from the Colts” on Thursday at noon, suggesting the former franchise quarterback wanted to return to the field. These alleged screen-shotted text messages have since been deleted, but Pat McAfee broke it down brilliantly on his podcast.

Even Irsay said he would love for Luck to return but that he’s not withholding any information about that potential scenario from the public.

“Believe me, I wish it was true and I was hiding some big announcement that could happen two days from now but that’s just not the case,” Irsay said.

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Jim Irsay would ‘love to see’ T.Y. Hilton re-sign with Colts

Ghost is a free agent in March.

Among the many decisions the Indianapolis Colts have to make this offseason will include the expiring contract of wide receiver T.Y. Hilton, who faces an uncertain future with the team.

Hilton, who has been with the Colts since they drafted him in 2012, will be a free agent when the new league year arrives in mid-March. Colts owner and CEO Jim Irsay told the media Wednesday that he would love to see Hilton back wearing the horseshoe.

But he also admitted there is a business side to the process, and that has to align in order for Hilton to return.

“We’d love to see T.Y. (Hilton) back, there is no question about it. He is such a great Colt. What a competitor and still has excellent skills and can take over a game,” Irsay said. “I think that the biggest thing at this point in a career for athletes and you see it all the time is the competitive nature is, look there is a business side to it. You want a guy back but it has to fit into what you view, what the marketplace dictates and what other teams and where someone’s value falls with the price sign. It really comes down to that.”

Hilton endured a down year in 2020. It took a while for him and Philip Rivers to get going. Once they did, Hilton showed he still has that high-upside on a weekly basis. But overall, his season was somewhat of a disappointment statistically speaking.

That’s not to say Hilton can’t still be a viable asset in the passing game. The way teams rolled coverage his way showed opposing defenses still believe he’s a threat. But as it happens with older wide receivers, their game may not be as consistent.

That said, Irsay still believes the team wants to re-sign the former third-round pick if the financials line up.

“You love to see someone like T.Y. be back because he is such a good man, he’s such an outstanding football player and a selfless player that you are just hoping that it works out that way,” Irsay said. “But the market usually dictates that. That’s the aspect of free agency.”

Chris Ballard has his process and he rarely goes over the value they have on a player so it will be interesting to see what happens when the negotiations begin.

This will certainly be a storyline to watch over the next month as free agency approaches.

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Jim Irsay talks fixing the Colts QB situation this offseason

Irsay gives his thoughts on finding a QB.

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The Indianapolis Colts know they have to address the most important position in football this offseason and how they will do that remains a bit unclear this early into the process.

Colts owner and CEO Jim Irsay spoke with the media for almost an hour on Wednesday discussing several topics ahead of the offseason. Of course, Irsay gave his thoughts on the best way to fix the quarterback position this offseason.

“First and foremost, I’d say in talking with Chris (Ballard), Frank (Reich) and myself, our beliefs are we are close. We have a tremendous nucleus of players that are capable of competing for the Super Bowl very soon,” Irsay said. “So ideally, if you can get someone to come in this year and several years after who is ready to go, it gives you your best opportunity and you don’t have as much of a maturation aspect of seeing them develop and get to that level that they need to get so you can get to a Super Bowl and win it.”

There are a few options available if the Colts go that route. The players available via free agency aren’t all that impressive but a trade for Matthew Stafford would fit that mold perfectly. The Colts are expected to be in trade talks for Stafford, though it remains to be seen how much they are willing to give up.

While that seems like one of the most likely options, Irsay also mentions getting a young quarterback in the draft could do wonders for the future.

“That being said, we’ll just have to see where opportunity pushes us because we really would love to be able to get a great young quarterback,” Irsay said. “Obviously, there are some out there that have been talked about coming out in this draft and we really just have to really evaluate and see where we are with them.”

Holding the No. 21 pick in the first round, it will be difficult for the Colts to trade up for one of the top four quarterback prospects. Given how many teams ahead of the Colts need quarterbacks, they would need to mortgage the future just to move up high enough to have a chance at grabbing one.

Where the Colts will go this offseason will be one of the biggest storylines of the next few months, but Irsay is confident the Colts will make the right moves.

Colts expect to extend GM Chris Ballard this offseason

Chris Ballard to get another contract this offseason.

Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard is typically the one who handles the contract extensions on the roster but he has one of his own coming this offseason.

Ballard’s current contract runs through May 2022, but owner and CEO Jim Irsay said he wants to get a deal done before training camp begins this offseason, reported by Zak Keefer of The Athletic.

Given the roster he has built while navigating the treacherous terrain of losing a franchise quarterback just 18 months ago, Ballard has the Colts back in the playoffs, and Irsay wants to get a deal done without any complications.

Irsay’s belief also stems from the faith he has in third-year coach Frank Reich and the job fourth-year general manager Chris Ballard has done in the 18 months since Andrew Luck retired. It is not lost on Irsay that the Colts are four games above .500 since Luck retired, and just a year later, are already back in the playoffs.

It’s why Irsay intends on extending Ballard’s contract at some point before training camp begins next July, he said Monday night. Ballard is currently signed through May 2022; Irsay expects the deal to get done without any snags several months before the contract is set to expire.

This really shouldn’t be a surprise but more of a confirmation that Ballard will be around barring any changes. He has built a balanced roster and one that might be just a few players away from being a serious contender in the AFC.

Along with Ballard, head coach Frank Reich won’t be going anywhere either. Irsay mentioned Reich’s name along with the general manager as a duo to not take for granted.

“Chris will be here, and Frank will be here,” Irsay said via The Athletic. “You don’t take those two for granted. … I firmly believe in Chris and Frank, and I believe they haven’t hit their prime yet. You have to learn on the job. Another few years, and they’ll both be in their primes.”

The Colts are looking to make a run at the playoffs but it seems the duo at the top will be here for a while.

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