When Hall of Fame quarterback Peyton Manning parted with the Indianapolis Colts in 2013, he left behind a much different city than he found upon his arrival in 1998.
And even though the success of the former Colts great had much to do with reshaping the city into a sports hub and a town obsessed with football, Manning credited Jim Irsay as the biggest reason.
Irsay, the team's owner since 1997, died Wednesday at 65. A day later, appearing on ESPN's "NFL Live," Manning recalled the evolution of Indianapolis under Irsay's stewardship of the franchise.