Indianapolis Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon is quickly becoming one of the most lovable owners in the NFL — and that’s saying something, given the general sentiment fans have toward owners.
As the heiress of the famous Jim Irsay’s football empire, Carlie still came up the humble way, working as a foot soldier at the team’s stadium. And she’s got some wild stories to show for it.
Colts Owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon Talks About Her Humble Beginnings
Despite growing up as the daughter of a billionaire, Carlie was still forced to humbly climb the workforce ladder to learn valuable life skills. As such, she started out selling game tickets at the stadium.
In a recent interview, via Sportico, she briefly opened up about her beginnings in ticket sales.
“I started in ticketing,” she said. “I used to work at the window, and I used to ask, ‘Why do we have glass? It feels so impersonal.’ And one time, I learned why, as someone spat in my face. I said, ‘Well, that’s why we have glass, I guess.'”
Indianapolis Colts co-owner and CEO Carlie Irsay-Gordon talks about her early days working in ticketing with the Colts.
Someone really spit on her 😲 pic.twitter.com/5dzw8h2CQW
— Sportico (@Sportico) April 27, 2026
Being a forward-thinking individual, Carlie has a constructive approach to life and business. As a result, she gained much wisdom during her days as a foot soldier.
“I think being unsatisfied, honestly, I think the fact that people care so much, to me, I feel, like, apathy,” she added. “And we wanna remain relevant, and sometimes, people unfortunately have more denigrating things to say about us.”
Carlie has been at the top of the organization since 2025, following her father’s death in May. She has become famous as the face of the ownership ring, which includes her sisters, Casey Foyt and Kalen Jackson.
While she started out in the Colts’ marketing department, she’s been representing the team at ownership meetings since 2004. In 2008, she became vice president while pursuing a doctoral degree in clinical psychology. Four years later, her sisters were also appointed as vice presidents.
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Carlie particularly earned respect around the NFL for her hands-on approach to ownership. During the 2025 season, she wore a headset and held a playcalling sheet on the sideline during games — a stark contrast to how owners usually enjoy lavish experiences up in the owners’ booth.
“I need to learn more about this,” she said when asked about her unique approach. “I need to be able to say, ‘Is this person full of BS? Do they even know what they’re talking about?’ … It’s such a complex organism, a football team, and how it operates on game day.”
With a team that already looks like a playoff contender with an 84.8 score in the 2025 season, according to the PFSN Offense Impact Metrics, it’ll be interesting to see how she does in the years to come.
