Does Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay have a substance abuse problem?
The Colts owner has been divisive at the best of times, but it goes without saying that his health - not the sport - will always be the most important thing.
Perhaps the only thing that softens the gravity of the situation, is the fact that the public was made aware of what happened some time after. With that said, there will undoubtedly be questions about the mental health of the franchise’s owner.
Did Colts’ owner Jim Irsay suffer an overdose?
According to reports, Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay was found unresponsive in his home during the month of December, due to what the police reported at the time as a “suspected overdose.” It is understood, that emergency responders were called to Irsay’s residence in Carmel, Indiana, at 4:30 a.m. on December 8th, to assist with a man who was “unresponsive, breathing, but turning blue.” In the report, the individual was identified as Irsay, who had fallen in the bathroom and been moved to a nearby bed.
“Irsay was unconscious with abnormal breathing (agonal breathing), a weak pulse, and he was cold to the touch,” the responding officer said. After trying to rouse him with an unsuccessful sternum rub, the officer administered a dose of naloxone (also known as Narcan), which can help with opiate overdoses. At that point, Irsay had a “slight response” and was then taken to hospital. In case you’re wondering, Irsay has in fact been seen in public since. On Tuesday, December 16th, he was seen at the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Aside from that, the only update that has been given, was on January 9th, when the Colts announced that Irsay was receiving medical care for a “severe respiratory illness.” Interestingly, no drug use was mentioned.
Jim Irsay has had his struggles
Truth be told, it may be shocking but it’s not surprising. Irsay has struggled with drug and alcohol addiction in the past, and what’s more, is that he’s been very transparent about it all. During an episode of HBO’s “Real Sports” in November, he spoke openly about how a past drug overdose stopped his breathing and nearly killed him. Indeed, Irsay has also disclosed that he’s been to rehab on 15 occasions. Where the Colts themselves are concerned, the team released a statement on Wednesday that didn’t exactly push back on reports, but did address them, as it stated that Irsay was continuing to recover from a “respiratory illness” and there would be no further updates on his health.