"INDIANAPOLIS -- Shane Steichen interrupted the backslapping in the celebratory locker room and called his team together. The Indianapolis Colts' coach had something to say about a victory that was more meaningful than the 33-8 win over the Miami Dolphins reflected on the scoreboard. Steichen wanted to mark the occasion of the team's first victory without its longtime owner, Jim Irsay, who died in May and was honored with induction in the team's Ring of Honor at halftime of Sunday's season opener."
"Then he turned to Irsay's three daughters and successors as owners, presenting each with a ceremonial game ball that produced an emotional postgame scene. "There's a man who gave so much to this city and this organization," Steichen said of Irsay. "He's not with us physically, but he's in this locker room spiritually. He's watching down on us. And he raised three daughters to run a football team. And we couldn't be more thankful.""
Shane Steichen gathered the Indianapolis Colts in the locker room after a 33-8 season-opening win over the Miami Dolphins and marked the occasion as especially meaningful because of longtime owner Jim Irsay's recent death. Irsay was honored with induction into the team's Ring of Honor at halftime, and Steichen presented ceremonial game balls to Irsay's daughters and successors as owners, producing an emotional postgame scene. The victory was the Colts' first opener win since Week 1 of 2013, ending a 0-10-1 non-winning streak in openers from 2014-24. Former quarterback Peyton Manning delivered an emotional halftime speech.
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