Carlie Irsay-Gordon | |
|---|---|
| Born | Carlie Irsay (1980-09-29)September 29, 1980 (age 45) Dallas, Texas, U.S.[1] |
| Education | Skidmore College (BA) |
| Occupation(s) | Businesswoman andsports franchise owner |
| Known for | Co-owner and CEO of theIndianapolis Colts |
| Spouse | Zach Gordon |
| Children | 3 |
| Parents |
|
Carlie Irsay-Gordon (born September 29, 1980[2]) is an American businesswoman andfootball executive who is the co-owner and CEO of theIndianapolis Colts of theNational Football League (NFL). She is the granddaughter ofRobert Irsay, the eldest daughter ofJim Irsay, and the sister of fellow Colts co-ownersCasey Foyt andKalen Jackson. Irsay-Gordon has been the principal owner and CEO of the Colts since 2025.[3]
Irsay-Gordon was born inDallas, Texas, when her father was attendingSouthern Methodist University, but moved toIndianapolis at the age of 3.[4]
She attendedPark Tudor School and graduated in 1999.[5] She earned her bachelor's degree fromSkidmore College in 2005, where she studied religious studies and geoscience.[6][7]
She rode competitively until the age of 20, on a horse named London Times.[8]
Irsay-Gordon began coursework towards a PhD in clinical psychology throughArgosy University but did not complete her boards.[9][10]
Irsay-Gordon first worked for the Colts in the ticket office and was subsequently involved in the marketing department and the strategies used by the sales team and ticket office.[11][9]
Irsay-Gordon has represented the team at ownership meetings since 2004.[12][13] She was made a team vice-president in 2008,[14] while studying for a doctoral degree in clinical psychology.[12]
In March 2012, Irsay-Gordon and her sisters,Casey andKalen, were announced as co-owners of the Colts, with the two younger sisters officially added as vice-presidents.[15] Irsay-Gordon's father,Jim Irsay, stated that he intends the team to entirely pass to his daughters.[16] Irsay-Gordon was then named as chair of the Colts in March 2014 shortly after Jim Irsay was arrested and entered a rehabilitation facility for drug use.[13]
In 2016, Irsay-Gordon joined the NFL Digital Media Committee.[17] She continues in a similar capacity into 2024 as a member of the NFL's Media Owned and Operated Committee, which oversees operations of theNFL Network andNFL.com.[18] She is also a member of the league's Security and Fan Conduct Committee and on the board of the NFL Player Care Foundation, which provides social services to former players of the NFL.[18][12]
She created and oversees the Colts'Tony Dungy Diversity Coaching Fellowship and the Harriet P. Irsay Fellowship for Women in Football programs.[12]
Before theCOVID-19 pandemic, Irsay-Gordon later recalled that she and her sister Kalen began to plan to focus the Colts' charitable attention on a single initiative, and selected a program on mental health, which became known as Kicking the Stigma. This launched in May 2021.[19]
After her father's death in May 2025, the Colts announced that Irsay-Gordon would assume the titles of owner and CEO of the team.[20][21]
Over the 2025-26 NFL season, Irsay-Gordon became famous for her hands-on approach as CEO. On gamedays, she can be seen wearing a headset and holding a playcalling sheet on the Colts' sidelines—just like the coaches. In a press conference during which she was asked about her unorthodox ownership style, she responds, I need to learn more about this... 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."[22]
In the Colts facilities, her constant presence in meetings and operations is framed as educational rather than micromanagement, part of understanding the complexity of NFL ownership. For instance, she asks follow-up questions in hallways and seeks clarity on issues across all business areas. This management style continues the Irsay family's tradition of hands-on ownership dating back to 1972. Players report she knows personal details about their lives regardless of their roster status, maintains an open-door approach, and develops genuine relationships with staff. Her leadership balances approachability with authority—Colts linebackerZaire Franklin notes, "There's a comfortability because we're so familiar. But, make no mistake, she's in charge."[23]
Irsay-Gordon serves on the board of trustees of her alma mater, thePark Tudor School.[5] Her father and two sisters, Casey Foyt and Kalen Jackson, are also Park Tudor alumni and parents.[24] She sits on the board of the Lake Maxinkuckee Environmental Fund.[12] She is a former board member of Visit Indy and former co-chair of Indy Championships Fund.[12]
Irsay-Gordon lives in Indianapolis with her husband, Zach Gordon.[18] The couple have three children.[18]
TheIndianapolis Business Journal named her to their "Forty Under 40" list in 2015.[9]