Jim Irsay, Indianapolis Colts owner, dies at 65

Jim Irsay, who grew up around the NFL’s Colts before assuming control of the team himself, died in his sleep Wednesday at 65, the team announced.

No cause of death was given, but Irsay had battled health issues in recent years. When he appeared at the Colts’ training camp last summer, it was his first public appearance since the previous season, the Indianapolis Star reported, and the owner told the outlet that he had been recuperating after undergoing several surgeries following a fall at his home.

Irsay was 13 when his father, Robert, purchased the Baltimore Colts in 1972. When the franchise relocated to Indianapolis in 1984, the younger Irsay was named the team’s vice president and general manager, then became its chief operating officer in 1996.

Upon his father’s death in 1997, Irsay took over his family’s business as the team’s owner and chief executive.

“Jim’s love and appreciation for the NFL, in addition to its history, tradition and principles influenced him to become a steward of the game throughout his 50-plus years in the League,” the Colts said in a statement.