Colts owner Jim Irsay reflects on rehab 7 months after near-death scare
Colts owner Jim Irsay reflected on his journey from seven months ago when police were called to his home and he was reportedly struggling to breathe. On Dec. 8, 2023, the responding officers had to use naloxone to reverse what could have been an opioid overdose. The initial record mentioned that an overdose was suspected.
But Jim Irsay later refuted that saying that they were in to treat a leg injury. A month after this incident, he was reported as having a respiratory illness for which he was undergoing treatment. He missed The Jim Irsay Band in Los Angeles in January, the NFL owners meeting in March, and was not actively present during the 2024 NFL Draft either.
Reflecting back on all these issues in an interview with The New York Times, he said that he feels better now. Jim Irsay said that he is excited for the season and working on getting his leg stronger, much like players have to go through a rehad. He said"
"I know sometimes what our players can go through in terms of the rehab that I did, and I’m feeling great just trying to get this left leg stronger, which it will.
"It’s just great to be out here, and I’m so excited for the season and really excited for the Hall of Fame (ceremonies) as well as for (inductee) Dwight (Freeney). That’s a big deal for the franchise and really deserving for him."
Jim Irsay looking forward to seeing Anthony Richardson and Jonathan Taylor play together for the Colts
Jim Irsay saw his quarterback Anthony Richardson suffer a season-ending injury in 2023 just as running back Jonathan Taylor was returning from his own layoff. The Colts owner was excited to think about the possibility of them playing together:
“It’s the speed that they bring, and that’s really exciting. We know what Jonathan can do, and both of them together can be a really dangerous combination from a big-play standpoint.
"We didn’t really have a chance to see that last year with Anthony’s injury and with Jonathan’s late camp arrival. In some ways, I really think the team’s improved just by the nature of them being ready to go.”
Shane Steichen nearly took Indianapolis to the playoffs despite having such a bad hand dealt with him. With both players fit now, Jim Irsay's cautious optimism might not be misplaced and the Colts could well be the surprise package of the season.