Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay has been arrested on suspicion of driving while intoxicated and possession of a control substance.
The 54-year-old owner was arrested just before midnight Sunday in a northern Indianapolis suburb, according to the local prosecutors office. He faces four counts of felony possession of controlled substances after prescription drugs were found in his vehicle. (Via WISH)
USA Today reports he also failed several field sobriety tests after he was pulled over for stopping in a roadway and failing to use his turn signal.
The news comes as disturbing for the Colts organization for more than just the obvious reasons.
In 2002, Irsay revealed he had been abusing prescription painkillers for much of the previous decade, telling the Indianapolis Star that he had overcome his addiction at a professional treatment facility that summer.
And last October, the man who was once the youngest owner in NFL history, tweeted that he had not had a drink in more than 15 years.
Aside from potential legal repercussions, ESPN's Adam Schefter explains the incident presents an interesting scenario should NFL commissioner Roger Goodell need to hand down some sort of discipline under the league's conduct policy.
"The odd part here is the commissioner would be handing down discipline against one of his bosses because the owners in the NFL are the men who employ Roger Goodell and pay his salary."
However, Sports Illustrated notes there was another instance in recent years where a member of an NFL team's leadership was disciplined by the commissioner.
"Goodell fined Detroit Lions president Tom Lewand $100,000 and suspended him for 30 days ... after Lewand was convicted on a charge of operating a motor vehicle while impaired."
MLive quotes Goodell in a letter to Lewand: "You occupy a special position of responsibility and trust and ... your conduct must be consistent with someone in that position ... those who occupy leadership positions are held to a higher standard of conduct that exceeds what is [even] expected of players ... " (Via MLive.com)
But despite that incident, there is no real precedent for suspending an NFL owner. (Via Indianapolis Star)
Bail for Irsay has been set at $22,500, according to the county's sheriff department. He is expected to post bail and be released from police custody Monday afternoon.
