The Indianapolis Colts will carry the memory of their late owner with them throughout the 2025 season.
Indianapolis will wear a black jersey patch honoring Jim Irsay, the team announced on Tuesday. The patch features Irsay's initials and his signature -- which includes his well-known smiley face -- within a circle that also displays seven grommets, mirroring the detail from the Colts' horseshoe logo.
Irsay died on May 21 at the age of 65. He became the NFL's youngest general manager at 25 years old in 1984 and took over as the team's principal owner in 1997, guiding the franchise through an era of remarkable success that included 16 playoff appearances, two AFC championships and one Super Bowl triumph in the 2006 season.
His passing was felt throughout the NFL, a league in which he matured from a teenage tagalong of his father, Robert Irsay, to a role of significant influence that stretched beyond the field.
Jim Irsay's contributions transformed the Colts into a mainstay in the AFC race for the first decade of the 21st century and will resonate well into the future. Indianapolis will ensure he remains prominently featured by wearing his initials each time the team takes the field during the 2025 season.