Colts owner Jim Irsay released a video last week that discussed the team’s failure to make the playoffs that talked about allowing “doubt, fear, and a lack of faith” to seep into the team’s DNA and that there won’t be a place on the team “if you don’t want to put all your chips in” next season.
Given Irsay’s previous comments about the “difficulties” involved with quarterback Carson Wentz’s decision not to get vaccinated, some wondered if Irsay had that in mind while filming his video. In an interview with Zak Keefer of TheAthletic.com, Irsay said Wentz wasn’t his target.
“It wasn’t directed at him,” Irsay said. “If I was directing it at him, I would’ve named him . . . I don’t worry about his feelings. If I was directing it at Carson, I would have told Carson face-to-face.”
Irsay said his message was for everyone in the organization and segued into a story about a fight between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier that he said explained what he meant by having all chips in.
“Now, there’s only a few Frazier and Alis,” Irsay said. “One of them was gonna die in the 15th round. They weren’t going to give in. It was win or die. That’s what all chips in means to me, and I talked to the guys about that [at the start] of training camp. Now, I don’t blame you if you say that’s not for me. People walk away all the time, and I don’t blame them. But we want more warriors. That’s what it’s about. I don’t shy away from the fact that I’m in this to win.”
Irsay called missing the playoffs an “epic shortfall” and changes usually follow those kinds out outcomes. Irsay said he won’t “make decisions when it comes to this based on emotion,” but there will come a point where the guy signing the checks will want to put action behind his words.