Jim Irsay's girlfriend is vegan, his jet is veganized, and so is Colts' stadium food

INDIANAPOLIS -- Jim Irsay has been a vegan, on and off, throughout his 64 years. He's been vegetarian, too. And, at some points in his life, he has been a meat eater. The Indianapolis Colts owner says he doesn't judge anyone on what they choose to include in their diet.

That's a personal choice, Irsay said.

"I'm not a fanatic about it. I'm not a judger," he told IndyStar on Wednesday. "Whatever people want to eat is fine by me. I am not here to point fingers."

But lately, Irsay's been trending toward the vegan way of life, in major ways. And that has a lot to do with his girlfriend, Michelle Paul, who has been vegan for 22 years.

Paul is a 52-year-old lawyer from Los Angeles and a "sweet animal activist," Irsay said. And she has been helping him take the animal-loving spirit that's been inside of him all his life to a new level.

Irsay and Paul met in June 2022, when she was living in L.A. She came into his life to help Irsay with holistic health, a passion of hers. Around that time, Irsay bought a new plane, and he asked Paul to help him re-decorate it. She was up for the challenge, and she inspired Irsay to transform that jet, vegan style.

Every piece of leather and wool inside Irsay's private plane was torn out, and there was a fair amount of it. From the carpets to the seats to the walls, every bit of it was replaced with animal-free materials, replaced with vegan leather imprinted with the Indianapolis Colts logo.

After the transformation, Irsay renamed his jet the Blue Vegan.

"I think it's exciting, because people see this beautiful aircraft and it's, 'Wow, that's so cool.' But then it raises awareness toward such a good cause," Irsay said in a video interview with PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) released Wednesday.

Paul not only helped Irsay overhaul his plane to vegan friendly, but he said she inspired him to make menu changes inside Lucas Oil Stadium, where the Colts play their home games.

The offerings now include vegan chicken tenders, smoked tofu couscous and cauliflower “wings." PETA recently named the stadium the third most vegan-friendly NFL venue in the nation, touting the vegan LightLife Indiana Burger, rice bowl with black beans, vegan fajitas and veggie hummus wrap.

Paul also encouraged Irsay to bring vegan food into his suites and on his planes. "He, actually, really likes it all," she said.

"There's talk about (when you're vegan) you can't get the protein," Irsay told IndyStar. "Our football players, some of the strongest men in the world, are vegans and you're able to derive plenty of protein from eating vegetarian or vegan."

Paul has helped educate Irsay, and she has shown him all the vegan options available.

"The food out there now that is made, plant based, it is so good," Irsay said in the PETA video. "There is just no way you can tell. It's just so unbelievable. It is so good."

NFL owner, animal lover

Beyond being an advocate for PETA and the vegan lifestyle, Irsay works relentlessly to help the cause of animals, those close to him and far away.

Earlier this year, he gave $20 million to help relocate an aging orca, Toki (also known as Lolita), from a concrete tank at the Miami Seaquarium to a seaside sanctuary in her home waters where she was abducted 53 years ago. Toki died in August after spending more than five decades in captivity.

"But through Irsay’s pledge, Toki’s suffering gained international attention," PETA said, "shedding light on the plight of captive wild animals worldwide."

In his personal life, Irsay dotes on Drake, his Maltese-Shih Tzu mix, who goes everywhere with him, including training camp at Grand Park and Colts games, home and away.

"God or the higher powers that be, they sent Drake. That's obvious. It didn't happen by coincidence," Irsay said in the PETA video. "I call him my holy dog because they are just part of the core family."

Irsay said he has plans to open an Indiana shelter to help animals, which will be named Drake's House.

"We know that Jim has enormous compassion and love for animals, and that he’s consistently used his influence and resources to reduce their suffering," said Moira Colley with PETA. "He was ready to move mountains to help Lolita and, by bringing more vegan options to Lucas Oil Stadium and veganizing his private plane, Jim has clearly demonstrated his commitment to making animal-friendly choices more accessible."

Irsay said that his love of animals has helped him find peace and comfort.

“I think through caring for animals, it’s like St. Francis says, ‘By self-forgetting, one finds,’” Irsay says in PETA video. “If you truly treat others like you want to be treated, this world would be a nirvana garden.”

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's girlfriend is vegan, his jet's veganized, so is Colts food