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Peyton Manning, Pat McAfee, other sports stars mourn Colts owner Jim Irsay after death at 65

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Peyton Manning, Pat McAfee, other sports stars mourn Colts owner Jim Irsay after death at 65

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The sports world was rocked by the death of legendary Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay on Wednesday. 

The news struck especially hard for many of Irsay’s former Colts players, including Pro Football Hall of Famer Peyton Manning.

Manning, who played his first 13 seasons for the Colts and helped them win the Super Bowl in the 2006 season, shared his respect for Irsay in an Instagram post Wednesday night. 

“I am heartbroken to hear about Jim Irsay’s passing. He was an incredibly generous and passionate owner and I will always be indebted to him for giving me my start in the NFL. His love for the Colts and the city of Indy was unmatched. His impact on the players who played for him will not be forgotten. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and everyone in the Colts community. He will be missed. Jim, rest in peace my friend,” Manning wrote.

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Many of Manning’s old Indianapolis teammates expressed their condolences too. 

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, #10, calls out at the line of scrimmage during an AFC wild card game in the NFL football playoffs against the New York Jets in Indianapolis. (AP)

Former Colts punter and current ESPN host Pat McAfee shared a long story in an X post on Wednesday, detailing his experience with Irsay throughout the punter’s career. 

“The 1st time he and I really had an extended convo was at training camp after the lockout in 2011.. players and front office weren’t allowed to communicate with each other during the lockout but, Jim followed me on Twitter throughout the CBA negotiations, his first day at training camp, immediately after the lockout ended, he drove his golf cart over to where I was and started firing off questions about Twitter.. He enjoyed the thought of being able to connect with Colts fans all over the world,” McAfee wrote. 

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McAfee even credited Irsay for helping the punter succeed in his post-NFL career. 

“When I decided to retire.. he and I had a 2.5 hour conversation in his office. He was sitting at his desk.. hitting the s— out of his vape .. and we talked about everything I was hoping to go do. He tried to stop me for a few minutes.. even offered to renegotiate my contract.. and then once he realized my decision was made.. the convo turned into him trying to give me as much game as possible about running a business and maintaining authenticity,” McAfee added. 

“Jim has done everything he can to help me succeed.. He’d join our show anytime I asked, no matter where he was in the world.. He’d send me motivational messages when he heard I was going thru something.. he’d forward articles that he’d come across that he thought I should read.” 

JALEN HURTS MAINTAINS HE ‘WASN’T AVAILABLE’ FOR EAGLES’ WHITE HOUSE VISIT

Jim Irsay, the owner of the Indianapolis Colts, speaks to the fans at Reggie Wayne’s induction into the Ring of Honor at Lucas Oil Stadium on Nov. 18, 2018 in Indianapolis. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

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Legendary NFL kicker Adam Viniatieri expressed his condolences to Irsay in an X post. Viniatieri cemented his legacy by helping the New England Patriots win three Super Bowls from 2001-2005, often beating the Colts on the way there. However, when Irsay’s team signed the kicker in 2006, it immidietly helped change the fortunes of both teams, as Viniatieri kicked the game-winning field goal against the Patriots in that year’s AFC championship game to send the Colts to the Super Bowl. 

“I’m heartbroken to hear about the passing of Jim Irsay. He was more than just an owner, he as a man of the people and his generosity was unmatched. I’ll always be grateful for the opportunity to have played under his leadership, and his impact on my life. Rest in peace, Jim,” Viniatieri wrote. 

Former Colts star wide receiver T.Y. Hilton, who played for Irsay’s team from 2012-2021, making four Pro Bowls, shared his love for Irsay in a post on X on Wednesday night. 

“Please don’t ask me if I’m ok. Cuz I’m not. Thank You Sooo Much Mr.Irsay. I will forever hold our talks close to my heart. Love You! RIP Mr.Irsay,” Hilton wrote. 

Several other current and former pro athletes paid respect to the owner on social media as well, including Robert Griffin III and the son of former legendary Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison, Marvin Harrison Jr.

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Irsay’s father purchased the team in 1972, when they still played in Baltimore, for $12 million and moved the team in 1984. Irsay was the general manager of the team from 1982 to 1996 and became the NFL’s youngest owner at age 37, shortly after his dad’s death in 1997.

Irsay had several health issues over the years and battled drug and alcohol addiction, once admitting he had been to rehab “at least 15 times.”

The Colts announced in January 2024 that Irsay was being treated for a “severe respiratory illness.” That February, he posted on X that he was “on the mend.”

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning, #18, left, and owner Jim Irsay are victorious after beating the New York Jets at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis on Jan. 24, 2010. (Al Tielemans /Sports Illustrated/Getty Images)

“It’s a long road, and you have to be patient. The great news is everything is going well,” a hospitalized Irsay said that March after he underwent a procedure on his right leg.

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Irsay said by that point he had undergone “26 surgeries over the last seven years.”

Over his tenure running the day-to-day operations of the organization, Irsay won 258 games, the fourth-most in the NFL in that span. He also won 10 division titles, went 1-1 in Super Bowls and made the playoffs 18 times.

He is survived by three daughters and 10 grandchildren. He and his ex-wife divorced in 2013.

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Indiana crushes Oregon to advance to first championship game in program history, stunning sports world

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Indiana crushes Oregon to advance to first championship game in program history, stunning sports world

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The 2025 Indiana Hoosiers became the fifth team in modern college football history to go 15-0. Now they can become the first team of the modern era to ever go 16-0, and only the second of all-time, joining an 1894 Yale team that played with leather helmets. 

With a merciless 56-22 thumping of Oregon in the Peach Bowl, the Hoosiers punched their ticket to their first national championship game appearance in program history. 

Head coach Curt Cignetti has left the college football world breathless with a dramatic turnaround of the Hoosiers program, going from one of the losingest teams in the Big 10 to potentially the most dominant single-season of all time. 

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Elijah Sarratt #13 of the Indiana Hoosiers is tackled by Ify Obidegwu #7 of the Oregon Ducks during the first quarter in the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 09, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia.  (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Many prominent sports figures took to social media to express their amazement of Indiana’s unprecedented dominance during and after their win over Oregon. Indiana Gov. Mike Braun also chimed in. 

Indiana’s Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza threw five touchdown passes, improving his case to be the top pick in the upcoming NFL Draft. 

Kaelon Black ran for two touchdowns to lead the Indiana running game.

INDIANA WINS FIRST OUTRIGHT BIG 10 FOOTBALL TITLE SINCE 1945 AFTER OHIO STATE FLUBS SHORT FIELD GOAL TRY

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Fernando Mendoza #15 of the Indiana Hoosiers is tackled by Aaron Flowers #21 of the Oregon Ducks during the second quarter in the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 09, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia.  (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Oregon (13-2, No. 5 CFP) was doomed by the three first-half turnovers while also being short-handed by the absence of two of their top running backs.

Indiana’s defense didn’t wait long to make an impact. On Oregon’s first snap, cornerback D’Angelo Ponds intercepted Moore’s pass intended for Malik Benson and returned the pick 25 yards for a touchdown. Only 11 seconds into the game, the Hoosiers and their defense already had made a statement this would be a long night for Moore and the Oregon offense.

Moore’s 19-yard scoring pass to tight end Jamari Johnson tied the game. The remainder of the half belonged to Indiana and its big-play defense.

After Mendoza’s 8-yard touchdown pass to Omar Cooper Jr. gave the Hoosiers the lead for good at 14-7, Indiana’s defense forced a turnover when Moore fumbled and Indiana recovered at the Oregon 3, setting up Black’s scoring run.

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Moore lost a second fumble later in the second quarter when hit by Daniel Ndukwe and Mario Landino recovered at the Oregon 21. Mendoza’s first scoring pass to Sarratt gave the Hoosiers’ the 35-7 lead.

Indiana extended its lead to 42-7 on Mendoza’s 13-yard scoring pass to E.J. Williams Jr.

Oregon finally answered. A 70-yard run by Hill set up a 2-yard scoring run by Harris.

The Hoosiers led 35-7 at halftime as the Ducks were held to nine rushing yards on 17 carries. Noah Whittington, who leads Oregon with 829 rushing yards, was held out with an undisclosed injury after Jordon Davison, who had rushed for 667 yards and 15 touchdowns, already was listed as out with a collarbone injury.

Backup running backs, including Jay Harris and Dierre Hill Jr, provided too little help for quarterback Dante Moore. Moore’s task against Indiana’s stifling defense would have been daunting even with all his weapons.

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Following their undefeated regular season, the Hoosiers have only gained momentum in the CFP. Indiana overwhelmed Alabama 38-3 in the Rose Bowl quarterfinal as Mendoza passed for 192 yards and three touchdowns.

Now, the Hoosiers will prepare to face Miami on Jan. 19 in the national championship game at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens. Miami beat Mississippi 31-27 in the Fiesta Bowl semifinal on Thursday night.

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Roman Hemby #1 of the Indiana Hoosiers runs out of bounds before the endzone against the Oregon Ducks during the second quarter in the 2025 College Football Playoff Semifinal at the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on January 09, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Jonathan Bachman/Getty Images)

Indiana will try to give the Big Ten its third straight national title, following Ohio State and Michigan the last two seasons. Few teams from any conference can compare with the Hoosiers’ season-long demonstration of balanced strong play.

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The country will be watching to see if this unprecedented team can finish the job and really punch their ticket into the history books. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

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Christian Collins’ late heroics lead St. John Bosco to double-OT win over Santa Margarita

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Christian Collins’ late heroics lead St. John Bosco to double-OT win over Santa Margarita

Before Friday’s Trinity League game at Santa Margarita, Christian Collins of St. John Bosco was dancing to music and looking so comfortable and loose that it was easy to predict he might do something special.

The 6-foot-9 All-American delivered the tying basket at the buzzer to send the game into overtime and scored the clinching basket with six seconds left in the second overtime to lift St. John Bosco to a 74-73 victory in a game that lived up to the hype while producing terrific performances from both teams.

“That really was a high-level game,” St. John Bosco coach Matt Dunn said. “They put us in positions that were really challenging and we did the same. I had so many kids play great.”

The Braves (12-4) had four players score in double figures and battled back from an eight-point deficit in the third quarter. Collins finished with 20 points. Howie Wu, St. John Bosco’s 7-foot center, scored 15 points. Point guard Gavin Dean-Moss had 15 points and Tariq Iscandari added 13 points.

Santa Margarita (19-3) received 29 points from Kaiden Bailey and 20 points from Drew Anderson.

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Collins saved St. John Bosco just before the buzzer at the end of regulation, getting an offensive rebound basket to tie the score. Then, with six seconds left in the second overtime and St. John Bosco up by two points, he scored to clinch the victory. A three-pointer at the buzzer by Brayden Kyman meant nothing with a four-point deficit.

“It was really hard to get stops,” Dunn said. “We finally got some.”

After the score was tied at 10, 12, 14, 17 and 19, Santa Margarita was able to take a 36-30 lead at halftime. Anderson had 14 points by then. The Eagles started connecting from three-point range, with four threes in the second quarter. St. John Bosco continued to rely on Collins, who had 10 points but missed six shots.

Drew Anderson of Santa Margarita battles for the loose ball against St. John Bosco.

(Nick Koza)

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In the third quarter, Bailey made two threes and Rodney Westmoreland made another for an eight-point Santa Margarita lead. But the Eagles’ success with threes might have been their downfall. They started to rely too much on trying to score from deep, and St. John Bosco kept fighting back.

“I was really proud of our guys,” Dunn said.

Santa Margarita, with four returning starters, was considered the Trinity League favorite. But the play of Wu and Dean-Moss helped take offensive pressure off Collins, who was effective as a passer.

“Howie was great,” Dunn said.

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This season the Trinity League will be playing only one round of games and will hold a postseason tournament at Concordia University and Hope University.

After Friday night, the Braves are the team to beat.

Harvard-Westlake 80, Crespi 53: The Wolverines received 26 points from Joe Sterling and 19 points from Pierce Thompson in the Mission League win.

St. Francis 58, Bishop Alemany 45: Cherif Millogo had 30 points, 16 rebounds and seven blocks for the Golden Knights.

Chaminade 55, Loyola 48: Temi Olafisoye contributed 22 points and 20 rebounds to help the Eagles (19-2, 1-1) pick up an important road victory.

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La Habra 66, Crean Lutheran 56: The Highlanders (16-5) upset Crean Lutheran in a Crestview League game.

Los Alamitos 80, Marina 60: Tyler Lopez had 21 points and Isaiah Williamson scored 16 in the victory.

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Olympic medalist suffers serious injuries after ‘death-defying’ skateboarding stunt

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Olympic medalist suffers serious injuries after ‘death-defying’ skateboarding stunt

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An Olympic medalist and 13-time X Games winner suffered serious head injuries after a stunt went wrong.

Nyjah Huston, who won bronze in Paris in 2024, said he suffered a fractured skull and eye socket.

“A harsh reminder how death-defying skating massive rails can be…” Huston wrote in an Instagram post which included a photo of himself in a hospital bed. “Taking it one day at a time. I hope yall had a better new years then me. We live to fight another day.”

 

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Nyjah Huston of the United States competes in the men’s street prelims during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at La Concorde 3.  (Jack Gruber/USA TODAY Sports)

The post also featured Huston being treated by first responders and friends, along with another photo showing a large black-and-blue mark on Huston’s eye.

Numerous skating legends showed their support for Huston, who is considered one of the best skateboarders in the United States today.

Nyjah Huston of Team USA reacts at the Skateboarding Men’s Street Prelims on day two of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Ariake Urban Sports Park on July 25, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (Dan Mullan/Getty Images)

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“Been watching @nyjah grow up into one of the best skaters to ever do it and it amazes me the amount of grit this kid has,” Shaun White shared on his Instagram story, via Pro Football Network. “You got this brother. Heal quick!”

Even Tony Hawk shared well-wishes on Huston’s Instagram post.

“Heavy. Stay strong; we know you’ll be back,” the skateboarding legend wrote.

“Man.. prayers for healing brother!” added Ryan Sheckler.

It is unknown whether Huston was wearing a helmet at the time of the incident.

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Nyjah Huston, of the United States, celebrates during the men’s skateboard street final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 29, 2024, in Paris, France.  (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)

Huston has seven gold medals and five silvers in world championships. He has not competed since the 2024 Olympics, but the California native has his eyes set on the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.

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