Colts dedicate Daniel Jones-led win to late owner Jim Irsay, family - ESPN

INDIANAPOLIS — Shane Steichen interrupted the backslapping in the celebratory locker room and called his team together. The Indianapolis Colts' coach had something to say about a victory that was more meaningful than the 33-8 win over the Miami Dolphins reflected on the scoreboard.

Steichen wanted to mark the occasion of the team's first victory without its longtime owner, Jim Irsay, who died in May and was honored with induction in the team's Ring of Honor at halftime of Sunday's season opener.

«This one's a little more special,» Steichen told his team, according to a video posted by the team.

Then he turned to Irsay's three daughters and successors as owners, presenting each with a ceremonial game ball that produced an emotional postgame scene.

«There's a man who gave so much to this city and this organization,» Steichen said of Irsay. «He's not with us physically, but he's in this locker room spiritually. He's watching down on us. And he raised three daughters to run a football team. And we couldn't be more thankful.»

On Sunday, Irsay's daughters — Carlie Irsay-Gordon, Casey Foyt and Kalen Jackson — witnessed the Colts win their first season opener since Week 1 of 2013. Their 0-10-1 record in the intervening years from 2014-24 was the league's longest active non-winning streak in openers.

With emotions high after former quarterback Peyton Manning's halftime speech, the Irsay daughters were able to celebrate the win and their beloved father.

«This means so much,» Jackson told the team through her tears. «Someone said the [retractable] roof was open so he could watch us and he was with every single one of you. He loved this team so much.

»… Every single moment like this, he would tell us as part of our bedtime stories,