Indianapolis, IN
Dallas Clark reflects on Jim Irsay’s legacy and impact in Indianapolis: ‘He lived Colts football’
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – The Indianapolis Colts, and the state of Indiana as a whole, lost one of its key contributors in owner Jim Irsay last month after battling health issues.
Dallas Clark, who played nine seasons with the Colts and helped them win a Super Bowl in 2006, was one of many former and current players, executives and coaches who attended Irsay’s funeral.
While everyone remains in mourning, Clark said he truly understood what Irsay meant to the Colts and the game of football after learning more than he ever could among his peers.
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Dallas Clark is inducted into the Ring of Honor during a game against the Miami Dolphins at Lucas Oil Stadium. (IndyStar USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images)
“At his funeral, just crazy the things I learned about him,” Clark told Fox News Digital while attending Tight End University yet again as one of the key legends among the group of more than 80 participants. “About being the youngest general manager, and it all kind of made sense. This man has lived this game of football every day of his life, and we were just so honored to represent him and his family. What a huge, huge loss.”
Clark recalled the time he was drafted by the Colts, when general manager Bill Polian and the front office took the star out of Iowa 23rd overall in 2003. While he was just trying to make a good impression on his new NFL team, Clark also got to see the type of owner Irsay was.
“Didn’t understand it at first, like, ‘I don’t know why you guys need me. You’re freaking loaded,’” Clark said about being drafted by Indianapolis. “I remember getting in that huddle the first time and was like, ‘This is going to be interesting.’
COLTS GREAT REGGIE WAYNE FIGHTS BACK TEARS WHILE REMEMBERING LATE OWNER JIM IRSAY: ‘HE HAD THE BIGGEST HEART’
“But being around [Irsay], seeing the impact he had on the city. He truly loved his players and took care of us, and we weren’t just an investment, we weren’t just a side gig. He lived Colts football.”
Irsay took ownership of the Colts in 1995 following a legal battle after the death of his father. Before then, Irsay was the general manager of the team from 1982 to 1996 and became the NFL’s youngest owner at age 37.
Since then, the Colts have had massive success with Peyton Manning as their quarterback, but they have been in flux since Manning left the team and Andrew Luck abruptly retired.
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)
Other than caring about his Colts, Clark knew how much Irsay meant to the community, and it was not a grandiose display every time he did so.
“He was the epitome of what giving back, what truly caring, truly embracing the state of Indiana, the whole Colts nation, the organization,” Clark said. “I’m hoping all the owners have learned something from him, about him, and how you handle yourself and how you be a true owner of representing your team. The power that he would have, and the impact he would make – so many things he did were under the radar. That’s the beautiful thing about him: he wasn’t trying to get himself in the spotlight or anything like that. He was always trying to find a way to make an impact.”
While Clark is sad that “Mr. Irsay” will not be in Lucas Oil Stadium anymore on gamedays, he is excited to see how his three daughters – Carlie Irsay-Gordon, Casey Foyt and Kalen Jackson – honor their father and run the team in their own way.
Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay, right, gives retiring Dallas Clark a Colts jersery at Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center Indianapolis. (TMB/Icon SMI/Corbis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
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“I know the girls are going to do a phenomenal job of honoring him and keeping his legacy strong in the front of their direction, but also make it their own and find ways to make it their own and change things for the good,” Clark said.
“The impact he had on so many people, this is going to be a tough one. So happy they’re going to honor him the first week, put him in the Ring of Honor, and it’s going to be a special day.”
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ICYMI: Top 5 IndyStar business stories in May 2026
A busy month at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway reignited debates about hotels and the downtown heliport. Plus, Eli Lilly celebrated 150 years.
May came and went, and with it, we saw the closest Indianapolis 500 finish in history, the 150th anniversary of Eli Lilly and a contested primary election day.
There’s also been some movement in retail news ahead of the summer shopping season. On the north side, a new women’s clothing store opened while a piercing studio set up shop in Speedway. Meanwhile, an indoor children’s play place opened on the near north side.
Read on for four spots that recently opened and one in Broad Ripple that said farewell.
Openings
Monkee’s
8659 River Crossing Blvd., monkeesofindianapolis.com, opened in March
Monkee’s of Indianapolis, a high-end women’s clothing store, opened recently on the north side in the Shops at River Crossing near the Fashion Mall. The brand Monkee’s started in the South three decades ago and has since grown to nearly 70 locations. In Indianapolis, Missy Llewellyn and Whitney Schmitt started the franchise to bring the clothing brand to the Circle City.
The Nest Play Cafe
515 E 22nd St Suite 101, indynestplaycafe.com, opened early May
The Nest Play Cafe opened at the corner of Central Avenue and 22nd Street, offering an indoor space for parents and caregivers to bring their children to play. Caregivers can book 90-minute play sessions for $15 per child over the age of one. Tickets for additional siblings run $10. The cafe sells coffee and snacks, too.
Open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Friday 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m. to noon. Closed Tuesdays.
Forget Me Not Piercing Studio
5324 W. 16th St., jessflowerspiercings.square.site, opened May 27
A new piercing studio opened in Speedway at the end of May just days after the Indianapolis 500. Forget Me Not Piercing offers traditional lobe, helix and conch piercings along with nostril and septum piercings. Artist Jess Flowers opened the one-woman shop on 16th Street.
Open Sunday and Thursday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 1 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Black Orchid Barbers Fountain Square
1201 Prospect St. Suite 100, blackorchidbarbers.com, opened in May
Black Orchid, a local barbershop known for its sharp haircuts with a side of humor, opened its Fountain Square spot, marking the company’s seventh brick-and-mortar location. Walk-ins are welcome but Black Orchid recommends grabbing a time slot online for your preferred service.
Open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Closures
Vitality IV Bar
6302 Guilford Ave., vitalityivbar.com
An IV-wellness spot in Broad Ripple shut its doors last month. Vitality IV Bar was located next to the Thieves cocktail lounge, formerly the Broad Ripple Starbucks location, before it went out of business.
Vitality IV still operates an Indianapolis-area location on Mass Ave downtown at 749 Massachusetts Ave where customers can book a variety of infusions with vitamins.
See a store opening or closing near you? Contact IndyStar reporter Alysa Guffey at alysa.guffey@indystar.com.
Forty-one names comprised the 11th layer of Springer’s “The Forgiving Sea VI,” an interactive painting that invites people to wr
Elizabeth Gabriel, Mirror Indy
(MIRROR INDY) — The Garfield Park Conservatory will host multiple family-friendly events throughout June. The events include plant shows, kid’s story time and Dollar Menu Night, which allows residents to harvest and eat veggies from a community garden.
Events at the Garfield Park Conservatory, 2505 Conservatory Drive, range in price and some require advance registration.
The Indianapolis Bonsai Club will have displays and answer questions about a variety of bonsai. Vendors will have items for purchase.
🗓️ 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 6, 1-5 p.m. June 7
🎟️ $7 per person, $15 per family (maximum of two adults per family)
Preschoolers ages 2-5 can participate in nature-themed storytime and crafts.
🗓️ 10-11 a.m. June 9
🎟️ $6 per child
Residents of all ages can harvest and eat veggies from Blakes’ Garden. Advance registration is preferred.
🗓️ 6-7 p.m. June 10
🎟️ $1 per person
Focused on ages 2-8, participants will listen to a nature-themed story and explore Blakes’ Garden. Attendees will relocate to a classroom if there’s inclement weather.
🗓️ 10 a.m. June 12
🎟️ Free
Up to 15 neighbors ages 10 and up will learn to ferment kimchi. Registration is required.
🗓️ 1-2 p.m. June 13
🎟️ $15 per person
Kids ages 2-5 can plant and harvest crops in the Children’s Garden. Registration is required.
🗓️ 11 a.m. to noon June 24
🎟️ $6 per child
The Indiana Insectivores will display tropical and native Indiana predator plants. Plants will also be available for purchase. Those who attend the plant show will also have free entry to the Predatory Plants Presentation 1-2 p.m. June 27.
🗓️ 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 27, 1-5 p.m. June 28
🎟️ $7 per person, $15 per family (maximum of two adults per family)
Mirror Indy, a nonprofit newsroom, is funded through grants and donations from individuals, foundations and organizations.
Mirror Indy reporter Elizabeth Gabriel covers the south side of Marion County. Contact her at elizabeth.gabriel@mirrorindy.org. Follow her on X at @_elizabethgabs.
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