Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay denied that an overdose was among the health issues he’s been dealing with over the past few months in an interview with Fox59 on Tuesday.
Irsay was found unresponsive and struggling to breathe at his home in Carmel, Ind., due to what police logged as a suspected overdose, according to police reports obtained by The Athletic in January. The incident occurred on Dec. 8, when emergency responders were dispatched to Irsay’s home at approximately 4:30 a.m. ET.
GO DEEPER
Colts owner Jim Irsay treated after suspected ‘overdose’
Irsay, who’s publicly discussed his addiction issues, told the television station it was a leg injury that spurred the 911 call.
“It’s unfortunate because they really don’t have the information in that speed of time when you’re checking into the hospital and it’s an overdose or it’s this or that,’” Irsay told the outlet. “It wasn’t an overdose. The bottom line was the leg needed to be taken care of immediately.”
Irsay attended the Colts’ home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Lucas Oil Stadium on Dec. 16, eight days after the police were sent to his home, but he’s rarely been seen publicly since.
Indianapolis announced Jan. 9 that Irsay was being treated for “a severe respiratory illness” that forced him to miss a performance with The Jim Irsay Band in Los Angeles on Jan. 11. Colts general manager Chris Ballard was asked during his season-ending news conference on Jan. 11 if he had an update on Irsay and he said: “No, other than he’s stable and they’re working through it.”
GO DEEPER
Colts’ Irsay recovering from respiratory illness
Required reading
(Photo: James Boyd / The Athletic)
