Jim Irsay, a principal owner, chairman, and CEO of the Indianapolis Colts, passed away at 65 in his sleep on May 21, 2025. He was suffering from a severe respiratory illness that required hospitalisation in December 2023.
His girlfriend, Michelle Paul; ex-wife, Meg Coyle; three daughters, Carlie Irsay-Gordon, Casey Foyt, and Kalen Jackson; and 10 grandchildren survive him.
Highlights
- In November 2013, Jim Irsay ended his 33-year marriage to Meg Coyle, the president and founder of One Body Incorporated.
- After the divorce, he dated Michelle Paul, a 52-year-old lawyer and dedicated animal rights activist, who helped him with holistic health.
- After his demise, Michelle will likely share ownership of the Indianapolis Colts with his three daughters.
James Irsay was grappling with significant health problems in the months leading up to his tragic demise. He had long battled addiction, a struggle he never tried to hide.
Previously, authorities found him unresponsive at home, displaying signs of agonal breathing, a weak pulse, and blue discolouration on December 8, 2023.
They gave him Narcan, a medication used to reverse opioid overdoses, and he responded slightly before being rushed to the hospital.
Despite this, the Indianapolis Colts described the incident as a severe respiratory illness.
The CEO also denied an overdose, attributing the health scare to a leg injury that had led to a haematoma and required surgery.
Moreover, he was admitted to rehabilitation centres at least 15 times. Her daughter, Carlie, took over the day-to-day operations of the Colts while he was in rehab.
We are devastated to announce our beloved Owner & CEO, Jim Irsay, passed away peacefully in his sleep this afternoon. Jim’s dedication and passion for the Indianapolis Colts in addition to his generosity, commitment to the community, and most importantly, his love for his family were unsurpassed. Our deepest sympathies go to his daughters, Carlie Irsay-Gordon, Casey Foyt, Kalen Jackson, and his entire family as we grieve with them.
Indianapolis Colts
Jim Irsay And Michelle Paul’s Shared Passion for Veganism And Animal Activism
Jim Irsay and Michelle Paul, a 52-year-old lawyer and dedicated animal rights activist, met in June 2022 when she was living in Los Angeles.
She assisted Jim with holistic health, and their connection quickly deepened. Later, she became a pivotal figure in his personal and ethical evolution.
Jim had long embraced a free-spirited approach to life and cycled through various dietary lifestyles over his 64 years, sometimes vegan, sometimes vegetarian, and occasionally a meat-eater.
However, in recent years, he leaned more heavily toward veganism due to the influence of his girlfriend, Michelle Paul.
Their relationship was also marked by shared interests in animal rights, with Jim making significant contributions to causes such as freeing the orca Lolita from captivity.
One of their first major projects was redesigning Jim’s private jet, a task that would ultimately reflect their shared values.
Michelle encouraged him to transform the plane into a cruelty-free space, and they replaced every trace of leather and wool with high-quality vegan materials.
Moreover, the new interior featured vegan leather embossed with the Colts logo, and the CEO renamed the Blue Vegan aircraft.
I think it’s exciting, because people see this beautiful aircraft and it’s, ‘Wow, that’s so cool.’ But then it raises awareness toward such a good cause.
Jim Irsay
Michelle’s influence didn’t stop at the plane. She has been instrumental in expanding vegan options at Lucas Oil Stadium, home of the Colts.
It was a natural extension of Jim’s lifelong love for animals, which became more active with the help of his girlfriend’s guidance.
Michelle has been vegan for 22 years and helped educate Jim on the ethical, environmental, and health benefits of a plant-based lifestyle.
After the CEO’s tragic demise, she’ll likely share ownership of the Indianapolis Colts with his three daughters, Carlie Irsay-Gordon, Casey Foyt, and Kalen Jackson.
Jim Irsay Was Married To Meg Coyle For 33 Years
Jim Irsay and Meg Coyle married in 1980 and became proud parents of three daughters and 10 grandchildren.
They had a complex journey of love, struggle, and personal transformation. Despite the challenges that arose in their marriage, the couple remained dedicated to their children.
Their relationship faced significant strain due to Jim’s well-documented struggles with addiction.
Although Jim and Med remained legally married for another decade, they had separated in 2003. She filed for divorce in November 2013, ending their 33-year marriage.
After 33 years, we have mutually agreed to end our marriage. Although the decision to end our marriage is a difficult one, it is the right decision for us and our family. We appreciate your respect for, and understanding of, our privacy.
Jim Irsay
Meg opened up about the emotional toll of living with addiction, secrecy, and personal sacrifice.
She covered up the truth of her broken marriage, and she lived under the cloud of her husband’s drug addiction. She did what she could to protect her children, and in the process, she lost herself.
Meg described the overwhelming stress that affected her health, pushing her to seek change. She knew she had to change something when it started taking a toll on her health.
Afterward, she embarked on a path of self-discovery, exploring spirituality, wellness, and inner peace to rebuild her life. She realized that true wisdom comes from within.
I searched, and I read, and I traveled, and I studied, and I practiced, and I practiced, and I practiced. Each step I took gave birth to the next step. The real and infallible teacher is the wisdom living within me, my authentic self… Finding and accepting my authentic self was the hardest thing I ever had to do.
Meg Coyle
Today, Meg is the President & Founder of One Body Incorporated, an organization dedicated to helping individuals navigate stress and emotional overwhelm.
She transformed her struggles into an empowerment mission while Jim continued his career in the NFL. She proved that renewal is possible even in the face of hardship.
Additional Information
- James Irsay, the son of Harriet Pogorzelski and Robert Irsay, was born on June 13, 1959, in Lincolnwood, Illinois.
- After the tragic demise of his Hungarian Jewish father on January 14, 1997, he assumed the ownership of the Colts.
- His net worth is estimated at $4 billion during his tragic demise.
