Jim Irsay: Indianapolis Colts owner draws headlines with health scare | NFL News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay faced a concerning health scare last month, according to reports citing Carmel (Indiana) police documents. The documents revealed that on the morning of December 8, emergency personnel responded to a call reporting Irsay as unresponsive and struggling to breathe at his home.
TMZ.com reported that when paramedics reached Irsay, he was found lying in bed and was cold to the touch.An emergency call from someone in the home described Irsay as having a “blue skin tone.” Fire rescue was dispatched to Irsay’s address in Carmel at 4:32 a.m. for a report of an “unconscious person,” according to radio traffic accessed by ESPN.Upon arrival, first responders administered a dose of Narcan, a medication that rapidly reverses opioid overdoses. Irsay reportedly “responded slightly” to the Narcan before being transported to a hospital. The incident was classified as a suspected overdose in the police documents.
The Colts, who recently disclosed Irsay’s battle with a “severe respiratory illness,” did not provide a detailed response but issued a statement on Wednesday, stating, “Mr. Irsay continues to recover from his respiratory illness. We will have no further comment on his personal health, and we continue to ask that Jim and his family’s privacy be respected.”
The timeline of Irsay’s health issues remains unclear. While he has not been seen publicly in recent weeks, ESPN confirmed his attendance at the Colts’ Dec. 16 home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, just eight days after the emergency at his home.

Irsay, 64, has a well-documented history of addiction and has publicly acknowledged past usage of opioids and other drugs. In a November interview with HBO Sports, he revealed having been to rehab “at least 15 times” and shared details of a near-fatal incident years ago, where he went “code blue” and had to be revived.
The Colts owner attributed his addiction to painkillers to usage after numerous surgeries over the years. Recent procedures for old shoulder and hip injuries have impacted his mobility. Despite personal challenges, Irsay has been a vocal advocate for mental health and addiction awareness through the Kicking the Stigma campaign launched by the Irsay family in 2020. The campaign has distributed over $25 million in grants to entities in the mental health space.
(Inputs from agencies)