Is Indianapolis Colts Owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon the Coolest Owner in the NFL? Colts Players Think So
Picture this: You’re a tight end for the Indianapolis Colts. Your position group just finished second-to-last in the league in receiving yards. The season’s over, it was a gut-wrenching 8-9 disappointment, and now you’re being summoned to the owner’s suite. You know, the fancy part of the building you’ve never even seen before.
You’d be sweating, right? Thinking your locker was about to be cleared out faster than a free beer line at a tailgate. That’s exactly where Colts Tight End Mo Alie-Cox found himself in January 2025. “I had never even been on that side of the building,” the eighth-year vet admitted. “I was like, ‘Bro, ownership is calling for us? S—.’ I was telling the younger guys, this ain’t ever happened. And I’ve been here for a while.”
Context Surrounding the Meeting
But this wasn’t a scene from “The Godfather.” The new head honcho, Carlie Irsay-Gordon, who took over as owner and CEO after the passing of her iconic father, Jim Irsay, wasn’t there to read them the riot act. She was there to listen.
“She wanted to make sure that any necessary changes were being made around the building,” Alie-Cox explained. “She just wanted to make sure we felt at home and felt comfortable… She was asking stuff about the cafeteria, travel — a bunch of different things. It showed she definitely cares about us as players.”
And she didn’t just meet with the tight ends. She met with every single position group. Left Tackle Bernhard Raimann was floored. “I was like, ‘Whoa!’ I was not expecting that at all.”
This isn’t your typical billionaire owner behavior, and the players have noticed. Irsay-Gordon is redefining what it means to be the person in charge, and it’s paying dividends for a Colts team currently sitting pretty at 8-2.
Not Your Average Sideline Prop
You’ve probably seen her. During broadcasts, the cameras often find Irsay-Gordon on the sideline, decked out in Colts gear, holding a play call sheet, and listening in on the coaches’ headset. It’s a sight that’s sparked a bit of public fascination. Is she meddling? Micromanaging?
According to the guys in the locker room, it’s the exact opposite.
“Somebody asked me, is she micromanaging? I’m like, ‘No, man.’ She’s genuinely just trying to learn and educate herself on the whole complexity of being an NFL owner,” said linebacker Anthony Walker Jr.
This isn’t some new hobby, either. Before she became a fixture on the sideline in 2021, she wasn’t schmoozing in the owner’s box. She was in a nondescript booth with the football operations staff, breaking down the game with the very people shaping the roster.
That deep-seated knowledge likely gave her the confidence to greenlight the recent blockbuster trade for two-time All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner, a move that required sending two first-round picks to the Jets. She was in the loop for weeks, and according to team sources, gave general manager Chris Ballard the final go-ahead.
More Than Just Football
So, what makes her different? For starters, she treats her players like actual human beings. When she found out Wide Receiver Michael Pittman Jr.’s wife, Kianna, shared her love of horseback riding, she invited the family over to check out her collection of saddles and helmets.
“She knows things about her players,” Pittman said, “where most owners are probably like, ‘Oh, he shows up on Sundays and he’s a good player and catches the football.'”
This personal touch extends to everyone. “She doesn’t care if you’re [star running back] Jonathan Taylor or you’re a practice squad player,” Pittman said. “She wants to hear what everybody has to say, and you just don’t see that among other owners… I could wake up in the middle of the night and call her, and she would answer the phone.”
That sentiment echoes throughout the Colts’ facility. It’s not just an act. Whether it’s buying a round of drinks for fans in Berlin or hitting the Stair Master in the team weight room while reviewing documents, her work ethic and authenticity are on full display.
“Make no mistake, she’s in charge,” linebacker Zaire Franklin stated, “But there’s a comfortability because we’re so familiar.” That bond has deepened since Jim Irsay’s death, as Franklin, who also lost his parents, shared, “She’s going through that same pain. I really value our friendship and relationship.”
The Irsay Way Continues
This hands-on, family-first approach is an Irsay trademark. Jim Irsay grew up in the Colts’ organization, starting from the ground up, and he encouraged his three daughters to do the same. In an era where faceless private equity firms are circling the league, the Colts remain one of the few long-held, family-owned franchises. That matters.
“Usually, owners have different businesses going on,” Cornerback Kenny Moore II said. “But to see the love that Mr. Irsay had for his business, this was his pride and joy. I think that’s the true difference there.”
Carlie Irsay-Gordon is carrying that torch. It’s not your standard boss-employee dynamic with the Colts. It’s something more. As Kenny Moore II put it, “I think any workplace—not even just a team—but any workplace, should be like this, where the person in charge is this way.”
In the cutthroat world of the NFL, having an owner who genuinely has your back might just be the ultimate competitive advantage. And right now, the Colts are reaping the rewards.
