INDIANAPOLIS — In one of his more extensive interviews, Jim Irsay drove home two points.
First, he says he’s still in control of the Indianapolis Colts.
“I want to let the fans and Colts Nation know that I’m in good shape and . . . I have my hands on the reins (of the franchise) in a strong way,’’ Irsay insisted with FOX59/CBS4’s Mike Chappell in a phone interview Monday afternoon.
Second, he says his current health issues don’t include an overdose, which was the documented reason police and paramedics responded to a Dec. 8 911 call to Irsay’s Carmel residence.
“It wasn’t an overdose,’’ Irsay said. “I don’t know why when you have your name in the paper in the past, people throw that out there quickly. I don’t pay attention to it all that much, but I don’t think it’s fair.’’
Contradicting the official police incident report — responders logged it as a possible overdose — Irsay said he was “treating a leg injury’’ that had developed a serious hematoma.
He subsequently underwent major surgery to address a back/leg issue, which required a lengthy stay in the hospital. Irsay noted he’s been “home for a quite a while’’ and has kept in constant contact with general manager Chris Ballard and coach Shane Steichen.
Irsay’s latest surgery has greatly limited his mobility and will keep him for taking his normal prominent place in the Colts’ draft war room at the Indiana Farm Bureau Football Center starting Thursday evening.
“I could go to the draft room,’’ he said. “It’s just that in sitting and talking with the doctors and Chris and Shane, it doesn’t serve a real purpose for me.
“There’s so much technology nowadays. There’s a virtual reality where I can literally be in the draft room and Chris is behind me and Shane is in front of me. I could be in there . . . I plan on calling the No. 1 guy.’’
Irsay’s football mind kept being pulled to the draft.
The Colts have a “great’’ interest in Marvin Harrison Jr., but moving up from the No. 15 slot into a much higher spot to select the son of Colts’ Hall of Fame receiver Marvin Harrison is probably “too difficult’’ because of the draft capital Ballard would have to package in a trade.
“I wouldn’t rule anything out,’’ Irsay said. “We’re open-minded."
The potential possessed by the 2024 Colts excites Irsay.
“I see a Colts team coming back with prime ammo,’’ he said. “It’s really exciting to see what can be done this year.’’
As much as the franchise flows through Irsay’s veins, his health is front and center.
There’s the Dec. 8 incident and a Jan. 11 Jim Irsay Collection concert in Los Angeles that had to be cancelled because, according to the team, Irsay was being treated for a “serious respiratory illness.’’
Rumors and speculation were rampant, and most were fueled by the Dec. 8 “overdose’’ notation. Irsay has openly discussed his addiction issues, which include being hit by the NFL with a $500,000 fine and six-game suspension for pleading guilty to operating a vehicle while intoxicated.
“I know what the situation is,’’ Irsay said, his voice becoming more firm. “It’s not a situation like that. I’ve had 27 surgeries in the last seven or eight years. No one ever wants to talk about that.
“What people don’t realize is when you have real medical issues that are orthopedic, they are so easy to point to me being overdosed or addiction-related or what have you.’’
He said it was “unfortunate’’ that a responding police officer wrote down “overdose’’ on the incident report. Paramedics noted Irsay was unresponsive and Narcan was administered.
“It’s unfortunate because they really don’t have the information in that speed of time when you’re checking (someone) into the hospital and it’s an overdose or it’s this or that,’’ Irsay said. “It wasn’t an overdose. The bottom line was the leg needed to be taken care of immediately.
“When you have the severe pain on different parts of your body, it’s not the easiest thing to manage.’’
The surgeries are a result of what Irsay describes as “a career that was illustrious with a lot of physical accomplishments.''
He was a power-lifter and a marathoner at a younger age.
“It wastes energy spending time trying to somehow convince people they need to believe this or that,’’ Irsay said. “In the end, it’s a waste of time because they’re going to believe what they want to believe.
“I look at the realities of saying I’m blessed for all of the support I’ve gotten. I appreciate all the people writing and sending their best wishes.
“I know how hard it is to get back to where you feel well again. It gets harder when you’re 64 going on 65 than when you’re 40.’’
Irsay’s overriding wish is for people to not “stigmatize’’ the type of issues he and others have dealt with. That was one of the motivating factors in his family forming the Kicking the Stigma movement in 2022.
“I don’t mind talking about it,’’ Irsay said. “Some people don’t want to talk about things, and I can understand people are different. Me, I’m pretty open about it, and I feel I can help people by talking about it.
“It’s unfair to stigmatize someone. That’s why we have Kicking the Stigma.
“In the end, you’re going through a tough situation physically and mentally with the injury. I understand the way it is, but I still hold my head up and know I’m doing the best I can. It’s just going to take a longer time.’’
The next tangible step is regaining his mobility.
Irsay laughed.
“I wish I had more mobility, probably more for the golf course than for football,’’ he said. “They don’t need my mobility in football, but my golf partners do.’’
You can follow Mike Chappell on Twitter at @mchappell51.