Report – Colts’ Jim Irsay found unresponsive at home in December،
INDIANAPOLIS — Colts owner Jim Irsay was found unconscious and having trouble breathing before being taken to the hospital by paramedics last month, according to a report.
TMZ.com, citing Carmel, Indiana, police documents, reported that Irsay was found lying in bed and cold to the touch when paramedics reached him on the morning of Dec. 8.
The report stated that an emergency call from someone at the home indicated that Irsay had a “blue skin tone.”
Radio traffic viewed by ESPN indicated that firefighters were dispatched to Irsay's address in Carmel at 4:32 a.m. for a report of an “unresponsive person.”
Irsay received a dose of Narcan, a medication that quickly reverses an opioid overdose, from the first officers on the scene, according to the report, and “responded slightly” before paramedics transported him to the hospital. The incident was classified as a suspected overdose in the documents, according to the report.
The Colts, who revealed last week that Irsay was suffering from a “severe respiratory illness,” declined to give a specific response, but released a statement Wednesday saying, “Mr. Irsay continues to recover from his respiratory illness. . We will have no further comment on his personal health, and we continue to ask that the privacy of Jim and his family be respected. »
The timeline of Irsay's recent problems is unclear. Irsay has not been seen publicly in recent weeks. But ESPN confirmed he attended the Colts' Dec. 16 home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers, eight days after the emergency at his home.
Numerous questions about Irsay's health and whereabouts in the weeks since have been answered by the team, with Colts officials consistently stating there would be no comment on personal questions.
Last week, the team reversed course when it released a statement regarding Irsay's respiratory illness, saying it would prevent him from attending an Irsay Collection exhibition and concert in Los Angeles .
“He is receiving excellent care and looks forward to returning to the stage as soon as possible,” the statement said. Later in the week, general manager Chris Ballard said Irsay was “stable and they're working on it.” He declined to give further details.
Irsay, 64, has a long history of addiction and has admitted to previous use of opioids and other drugs. He revealed in a November interview with HBO Sports that he had been to rehab “at least 15 times.” He also said he had a near-fatal incident years ago, saying he went “code blue” and had to be resuscitated.
In the past, Irsay has said his addiction to painkillers stemmed from his use after a series of surgeries over the years. Irsay has undergone several procedures in recent years for shoulder and hip injuries dating back several years that have had a significant impact on his mobility.
The Irsay family's successful Kicking the Stigma campaign launched in 2020 as an extension of Irsay's outspokenness on addiction and mental health. The organization has distributed more than $25 million in grants to entities in the mental health sector.
ESPN reporter Paula Lavigne contributed to this report.
