Despite finishing his career with the Denver Broncos, Peyton Manning is an Indianapolis Colts legend, and he paid homage to the team's late owner, Jim Irsay, on the ManningCast.
During the ManningCast, Manning discussed the owner of his former team. This came after Irsay was posthumously inducted into the Colts' Ring of Honor.
Peyton Manning remembers the late Colts owner Jim Irsay, who was inducted into the Colts Hall of Fame on Sunday.
“We lost Jim in May, and Eli, he was the kind of owner every player would want to play for.” pic.twitter.com/QvheJOT1lg
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) September 9, 2025
“We lost in Jim in May, and Eli, he was the kind of owner every player would want to play for,” Peyton gushed to his brother, Eli Manning. “His office was at the practice facility, he was out there at practice every day, in the locker room after every game home [or] away, win [or] loss, the answer was yes if it helped the Colts win.
“It was an honor to play for him, and a great ceremony yesterday in Indianapolis, putting Jim Irsay in the rightful place in the Colts' Ring of Honor,” he continued.
Peyton Manning and the late Colts owner Jim Irsay
The news of Irsay's passing hit Manning hard. He posted about him after his passing in May 2025. Manning called Irsay “incredibly generous and passionate,” and promised he “will not be forgotten.”
“I am heartbroken to hear about Jim Irsay’s passing,” Manning wrote. “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 played 14 seasons with the Colts. They released him in 2012 after he missed 2011 with a neck injury. Manning then played four years with the Denver Broncos, smashing NFL records and winning a Super Bowl with them.
Irsay passed away on May 21, 2025, at 65 years old. He died in his sleep at his Beverly Hills home. They inducted him into the Ring of Honor during the 2025 season opener against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, September 7.
