After 'white billionaire’ comment Jim Irsay threatens to sue ESPN, challenges Bryant Gumbel

INDIANAPOLIS -- The day after HBO aired an interview with Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay -- which included his comment that police were prejudiced against him in his 2014 arrest because he is a "rich, white billionaire" -- backlash ensued on social media and from sports analysts.

As a result, Irsay fought back on X most of Wednesday, even threatening to sue ESPN's "First Take" due to comments made by Stephen A. Smith and his co-hosts.

The controversy centers on Irsay's arrest on March 16, 2014, which came after an officer said he saw Irsay driving erratically in Carmel. Officers who searched Irsay's vehicle said they "recovered numerous prescription medication bottles containing pills," along with $29,029 in cash.

Irsay eventually pleaded guilty to one count of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, a Class C misdemeanor. He also admitted to having hydrocodone, oxycodone and alprazolam (Xanax) in his system.

In the "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel" episode that aired Tuesday night, sports journalist Andrea Kremer asked Irsay why he pleaded guilty if he wasn't. Irsay said he just wanted to get it over with.

"I am prejudiced against because I'm a rich, white billionaire," Irsay said to Kremer. "If I'm just the average guy down the block, they're not pulling me in, of course not."

Here is how Smith responded Wednesday on "First Take," regarding Irsay's comment.

"I've never looked at Jim Irsay as somebody with all of his marbles, per se ... When he makes a statement like this, on one hand, you can laugh about it because of how utterly ridiculous it is, being in America, (the) white power structure that exists," Smith said. "Obviously, you're a billionaire. You've got money and stuff like that and you're white. So, usually when people think about prejudice, you certainly don't look at that category.

"But for him to articulate that, it just shows how detached he is. I remember when Jonathan Taylor was looking for a new contract and I remember how dismissive Jim Irsay came across. And when you see Jim Irsay say the kind of things that he (says), it (harkens) me back to Jonathan Taylor, how dismissive (Irsay) was about this man, what (Irsay) thought his value was."

"… I happen to know a few (white billionaires) covering professional sports the way that I do. I have never heard a white, rich man, let alone a billionaire literally, say, ‘They’re prejudiced against me because I'm rich and I'm white.' This is new and I think it just shows the alarming level of cluelessness that Jim Irsay has attached to him.

"It's going down there on my top 10 list as one of the most ignorant things I've heard come out of somebody's mouth in the history of sports."

IndyStar reached out to ESPN about Irsay's threat to sue the network but did not immediately get a response.

'Why do I feel sorry for the dog?'

Before Irsay lashed out at ESPN, he first took to X Wednesday against Gumbel, saying he had treated Irsay with a mean spirit on the HBO episode.

As Gumbel introduced the Irsay segment, he said "though Irsay was gifted his plum position and eventually ownership of the team as well, his life has proven to be a painful journey full of self-inflicted wounds."

After the segment, Gumbel returned with Kremer and read Irsay's "rich, white billionaire" quote saying, "Does he have any idea just how foolish that sounds?"

"Well clearly not because I asked him about it twice and he maintains that. He was very vociferous about it," Kremer said. "He said it over and over again and this is what he believes."

"He's clearly a guy who has had everything given to him. Does he realize how lucky he is?" Gumbel asked.

"I think he realizes how lucky he is. He knows what he inherited but there's good things and bad things that he inherited," Kremer said. "We tried to show a lot of the negative things that he inherited as well, which is the addictive behavior the alcoholism and things of that nature."

Bryant went on to say he would be the "unkind person" and ask: "His dad was viewed as a joke among NFL owners. Is his reputation any better?"

"Yes, his reputation is definitely better around the league in the sense that he's made the team work fiscally, he's won a Super Bowl and he's been extremely outspoken," Kremer said. "He's going to say what he believes whether you like it or not."

Kremer offered a reason for Gumbel to think twice about Irsay.

"Here's one reason you would like him more. He has an emotional support animal that he calls the 'Holy dog,'" Kremer said. "He says the creature, at least, has never betrayed him."

"Why do I feel sorry for the dog?" Gumbel ended the interview.

Irsay's X responses

Follow IndyStar sports reporter Dana Benbow on X: @DanaBenbow. Reach her via e-mail: dbenbow@indystar.com.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Jim Irsay: After ‘white billionaire’ comment, threatens to sue ESPN