44-year-old Carlie Irsay-Gordon has scary micromanaging quote as new Colts owner

Jerry Jones might have some competition as the most meddlesome owner in the NFL.

New Indianapolis Colts owner and CEO Carlie Irsay-Gordon, who will now take the lead as team principal from her late father Jim Irsay, who won a Super Bowl with Hall of Fame quarterback turned media mogul Peyton Manning, was asked about resurfaced clips and photos about listening to playcalls from the sidelines during games.

While her sisters, Casey Foyt and Kalen Jackson, are also part owners too, along with having executive roles, it's clear that Irsay-Gordon, only 44, will be the head honcho. That's great news for her, but it might be horrible news for general manager Chris Ballard and head coach Shane Steichen.

When asked if the mother of three still plans to listen to playcalling during games, she said absolutely.

“I need to be able to say, ‘Is this person full of BS? Do they even know what they’re talking about?’”

“I would suggest it for anyone else that has to pay head coaches and GMs millions and millions of dollars. It helps you make a less expensive mistake.”

“It is such a complex organism, a football team, and how it operates. You could say, ‘That person ran that route wrong.’ [I'm] learning; ‘Oh, someone tagged the wrong receiver and it wasn’t really the player’s fault, it was the person that called it.”

As we noted yesterday, Irsay-Gordon first officially joined the Colts as an intern while attending Skidmore College. Her first official role was as vice president in 2008 while she also pursued a doctorate degree in clinical psychology.

So while having no coaching or general manager experience whatsoever, she might know how to read people well possibly.

The quote has gone viral since yesterday, with most fans predicting it to be an awful omen. Some, though, have come to her defense that it's a savvy way to assess leadership of the complex organism.

NEWS: #Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon explains why she is on the sideline with a headset on and a call sheet.

“I need to be able to say, ‘Is this person full of BS? Do they even know what they’re talking about?’”

“I would suggest it for anyone else that has to pay head coaches… pic.twitter.com/FpJoXT2Lyb
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) June 11, 2025

Now that complex organism, at least the Colts, is all hers.

— Enjoy free dish of rich and fabulous players with The Athlete Lifestyle on SI —

Totes adorbs: Hailee Steinfeld drops first official photo from Josh Allen wedding

Speaking of adorbs: Josh Allen gives rare comment on Steinfeld’s wedding post

No way!: 6-foot-4 Cameron Brink towers over WNBA star Paige Bueckers meeting

Secret wedding?: Aaron Rodgers’ first official Steelers photo sparks marriage rumors

New sweet digs: Aaron Rodgers buys insane Pittsburgh mansion with unreal amenities