Jim Irsay never shied away from talking about his battles with addiction. But according to a new report from The Washington Post, the longtime Colts owner suffered multiple relapses in the final years of his life — including at least three overdoses.
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Irsay, who died in May at 65, had been under the care of addiction specialist Dr. Harry Haroutunian. Sources told The Post that Haroutunian prescribed Irsay large amounts of opioids and ketamine as part of his treatment. In December 2023 alone, Irsay reportedly overdosed twice. One of those incidents, on Dec. 8 at his Carmel, Indiana home, left him unresponsive on a bathroom floor before first responders revived him with Narcan. At the time, the Colts publicly said he was battling a "severe respiratory illness."
Less than two weeks later, Irsay overdosed again — this time at a Miami resort, according to the report. He had also been hospitalized in 2020 after overdosing in Turks and Caicos.
Five people with direct knowledge of Irsay's relapses told The Post they were concerned about the treatment Haroutunian was providing. The doctor defended his approach, saying he saw Irsay as "a brother" and had dedicated 18 months of his life to helping him. Haroutunian ultimately signed Irsay's death certificate, which listed the cause of death as cardiac arrest brought on by acute pneumonia.
Irsay himself had spoken openly about going to rehab "at least 15 times" and acknowledged overdosing in the past, including while trying to detox. His candor about addiction was unusual in NFL ownership circles, where such struggles are rarely discussed.
Irsay inherited the Colts from his father, Robert, who moved the team from Baltimore to Indianapolis in 1984. Jim became owner in 1997 and remained one of the league's most colorful, complicated figures until his death.
