Colts Owner Jim Irsay DUI $500,000 fine + 6 Game Suspension

Colts Owner Jim Irsay DUI $500,000 fine + 6 Game Suspension – Jim Irsay has been fined half a million dollars, the NFL’s maximum fine, for his guilty plea in an Indiana DUI case. The Colts owner‘s suspension will be effective at 5 p.m. on Wednesday.

Toxicology reports indicated that Irsay was driving under the influence of hydrocodone and oxycodone when he was arrested at a traffic stop in Carmel, Indiana. A plea deal was reached to remove one of the original two counts of driving while intoxicated

In a statement released by the Colts, the franchise owner said:

“I acknowledge the mistake I made last March and stand responsible for the consequences of that mistake, for which I sincerely apologize to our community and to Colts fans everywhere

Even more importantly, though, I am committed to do everything in my power to turn this whole experience into a positive event for myself, my family, and the community. In retrospect, I now know that the incident opened my eyes to issues in my life that needed addressing and helped put me on the path to regain my health. I truly hope and pray that my episode will help in some small measure to diminish the stigma surrounding our country’s terrible and deadly problem of addiction.”

Luckily the Colts received no further disciplinary action, as Commissioner Roger Goodell noted the DUI did not have a
“competitive consequence”. In a letter to Irsay the comissioner wrote:

“I have stated on numerous occasions that owners, management personnel and coaches must be held to a higher standard than players. We discussed this during our meeting and you expressed your support for that view, volunteering that owners should be held to the highest standard.”

While Irsay is suspended, the Colts will be run by his daughter Carlie Isray-Gordon, along with her two sisters Casey Foyt and Kalen Irsay. His DUI probation requires him to be clean of booze, but he may take any legal prescriptions. He’s also required to complete rehab and attend a victim impact panel.

There hasn’t been an NFL team owner suspended since 1999 when Eddie Debartolo Jr. was banned for a year after pleading guilty to extortion.