Michael Pittman Jr. has spent his entire NFL career with the Indianapolis Colts. He was part of the franchise when owner Jim Irsay was running the show… And he still is, now that Jim’s daughter, Carlie Irsay-Gordon, has taken over after his recent passing.
The star wide receiver believes that the Colts have a unique situation with their new leader, unlike any other team in the league. He recently explained what makes her different and why she has been beneficial to their overall success.
Michael Pittman Jr. on Carlie Irsay-Gordon’s Impact
Irsay-Gordon took over the role of the Colts’ principal owner and CEO upon her father’s passing ahead of the 2025 NFL season in May. She has approached the ownership role unlike many others ever have, including often spending her time on the sidelines during games wearing a headset.
Pittman recently raved about her tactics and emphasized what makes her so special. He pointed to her making personal relationships with all the players on the team a priority as one of the biggest factors.
“She knows things about her players. Where most owners are probably like, ‘Oh, he shows up on Sundays and he’s a good player and catches the football.’ … She doesn’t care if you’re Jonathan Taylor or you’re a practice squad player. She wants to hear what everybody has to say, and you just don’t see that among other owners … I could wake up in the middle of the night and call her, and she would answer the phone,” explained Pittman.
Her rare approach appears to be working for the Colts as their 8-2 record is currently the best in the NFL. They also already have many wins, as they did all of last year after finishing with an 8-9 record. They haven’t made it to the playoffs since the 2020 season, but they are well on their way to getting there this year.
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Pittman himself has also taken a step forward as he currently ranks 16th among all wide receivers in PFSN’s Impact Rankings. He is on pace for the best finish of his career so far, as the transition to Daniel Jones as their starting quarterback appears to have been a wise move.
Irsay-Gordon was already the CEO when this decision was made after Jones beat out Anthony Richardson during the offseason to earn the job. She also gave Chris Ballard the approval to get Sauce Gardner at the trade deadline. Her hands-on approach is one reason the Colts are among the best overall teams this year.