Neil Malik
Should NFL team owners act like coaches?
Should NFL team owners act like coaches?
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The Topline
- Indianapolis Colts' owner and CEO Carlie Irsay-Gordon recently went viral for wearing a headset and holding a clipboard during the game – something typically reserved for team coaches
- Irsay-Gordon stepped in as CEO in June after the death of her father — and long-time owner, chairman and CEO — Jim Irsay died at age 65
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Ownership belongs in the suite
Many of us have experienced a micromanaging boss. It shows up in different ways – monitoring lunch break times down to the second, or overriding your decisions without consultation.
It’s unpleasant. Nobody likes to be micromanaged. Even the head coach of an NFL team.
Carlie Irsay-Gordon, CEO of the Indianapolis Colts, is making headlines as a team owner by watching their games from the sidelines, wearing a headset and holding a clipboard. Those are typically done by the coaching staff.
Irsay-Gordon told the Colts website she uses the headset to stay in the know, and that it helps her understand how she can further support the coaches.
But head coach Shane Steichen is more than capable. Arguably best known for designing the offense that took the Philadelphia Eagles to Super Bowl LVII, Steichen was subsequently hired as the Colts’ head coach, bringing over a decade of coaching experience to the team.
Not to mention, the NFL’s chain of command is clear.
Owners establish a vision and provide resources. General managers build rosters. Coaches strategize and lead on game day. Trust your colleagues and empower them to perform.
Before suggesting the criticism of Irsay-Jones is simply for being a woman, micromanaging male owners are just as likely to be called out. Jerry Jones , anyone?
How about Francisco Acquilini, owner and chairman of the Vancouver Canucks, whose meddling in team operations is the stuff of legend .
NFL coaches are paid big dollars to make split-second choices under immense pressure. Having your owner standing just feet away from you while listening in real time risks hesitation or second-guessing. More importantly, you risk eroding the autonomy of the very people hired for their expertise.
Ultimately, Irsay-Jones might want to remember Bill Belichick’s three famous words to sum up his own coaching style: Do your job.
A good boss belongs in the trenches
Let’s face it – the Colts needed the help. They were 9-8 in 2023 and 8-9 last season. Not exactly a record to be proud of.
But the Colts are 2-0 for the first time since 2009, and Irsay-Gordon has been on the field for each of those games, wearing a headset and holding a clipboard.
She told the Colts website that she wears it to stay in the know, and to help further support the team’s coaches.
"So much of it comes down to just how we operate and how things work and the headsets — I would suggest it for anyone else that has to pay coaches and GMs millions and millions of dollars. It helps you make a less expensive mistake potentially."
Irsay-Gordon is recognizing that she doesn’t know what she doesn’t know. So, rather than watching from the corner office, she’s embedding herself in team operations and drinking from the firehose to support the organization with better decision-making.
She is, of course, a woman, so she is getting unfair heat for this. Michele Donnelly, a sport management associate professor at Brock University, told CBC News "A woman in that role is going to be scrutinized to a much greater degree than a man — the same is true of men of colour in ownership positions.”
But whether it’s a man or woman, company culture comes from the top. When the boss is in the trenches, it’s a strong signal to the organization: Nobody is too important to get their hands dirty and do what it takes to win.
And so far, it’s not hurting the team one bit. They are 2-0.
