Tony Dungy Remembers Jim Irsay's Legacy

Tony Dungy, former head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, remembered owner Jim Irsay's legacy following his passing at age 65. Irsay became the sole owner of the team in 1997 and led them to success, including 10 division titles, two Super Bowl appearances, and a championship in Super Bowl XLI.

Dungy, who coached the Colts from 2002-2008, called Irsay's passing "something that was unexpected and obviously a very sad moment for our family as well as all the Colts family." He recalled Irsay's vision for the team and the city of Indianapolis, saying: “He wanted us to be good, obviously, but he wanted to connect with the fanbase. He wanted to impact the city. He wanted to win, but do it the right way.”

“He had a tremendous impact on me, and it’s just like a brotherhood,” Dungy said. “I remember the first time he called me and talked about his vision for the Colts and the city of Indianapolis and what he wanted to accomplish. He wanted us to be good, obviously, but he wanted to connect with the fanbase. He wanted to impact the city. He wanted to win, but do it the right way. And I’ll tell you, Jim was one of the most compassionate people that I have ever known. He did so many things behind the scenes for not only our players and our staff, but for the city and for individuals that people would never even hear about. But he just did it out of the goodness of his heart. And he brought so much success to the city as well.”

Dungy also highlighted Irsay's passion for getting a new stadium for the team, saying: “He wanted to the team to be successful, but more than that, he wanted to do it in Indianapolis. He wanted to connect. His one passion was getting a new stadium so the team would be able to stay there. I think Lucas Oil Stadium was his dream.”

When asked where the city of Indianapolis would be without Irsay, Dungy replied: “I don’t think we even can measure and know the impact. He did so many things that just never were talked about. He just did them under the radar, just taking care of so many people, giving donations to groups, people who needed it, really just reaching out to everyone. And that’s what I’ll always love about him.”

Dungy led the Colts to a Super Bowl title in the 2006 season and had an overall record of 85-27 during his time as head coach.