INDIANAPOLIS — Colts owner Jim Irsay attended Sunday’s training camp practice, his first public appearance since December.
Irsay spoke to reporters for more than 10 minutes during the practice, saying he is still rehabbing after a major lower-body surgery that is preventing him from walking.
In early January, the Colts released a statement that said Irsay was being treated for a severe respiratory illness. A week later, a police report surfaced that said Irsay had been found unresponsive in his home on Dec. 8 following what authorities described as a suspected overdose. According to the police report, Irsay received a dose of naloxone — a medicine used to reverse the effects of an opioid overdose — before paramedics transported him to a hospital.
Irsay, who has spoken about his history of addiction, mostly to painkillers, has never acknowledged an overdose occurred.
In a phone interview with ESPN in April, Irsay said, “I’ve had some episodes in my past. It’s natural that people’s minds can run away and exaggerate.”
The longtime owner has faced numerous health challenges in recent years, undergoing multiple surgeries to address years-old powerlifting injuries in his shoulders and hips. Those procedures have severely impacted Irsay’s mobility, leaving him to often rely on a walking cane.
Irsay, 65, said he still plans to attend next weekend’s Pro Football Hall of Fame induction ceremony, where he is scheduled to present former Colts great Dwight Freeney. He will likely need to use a wheelchair to get around while in Canton.
“It’s frustrating because the left leg just doesn’t have the push off yet that I need,” he said. “I can stand up and those sort of things, but in terms of walking and that sort of thing, it’s hard to say exactly how far I am away from that. But it’s not far. God knows I’ve been working hard just to bring myself back.”
