Colts earn ESPY’s 2025 Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year for ‘Kicking the Stigma’

The Colts organization earned an accolade to be proud of off-the field… making an impact in every day Hoosiers’ lives and society at-large for something that doesn’t get talked about nearly enough.

The Indianapolis Colts organization was awarded the ESPY’s 2025 Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year for their ‘Kicking the Stigma’ initiative which raises awareness and fundraising for mental health disorders and combats the stigmas associated with them.

The award was presented to Colts’ owner and chief brand officer and president of the Indianapolis Colts foundation Kalen Jackson by former Horseshoe All-Pro punter, now turned mainstream ESPN media personality Pat McAfee:

Regarding ‘Kicking The Stigma’ and this recent award via Colts.com:

“Over the last five years, Kicking The Stigma has made a deep, targeted, positive impact on the mental health of countless Hoosiers and Americans. Since 2020, more than $31 million has been committed to these goals by the Colts and Irsay family through Kicking The Stigma, including over $6.4 million in Action Grants, which have funded critical research and treatments while breaking down barriers to access them for residents of Indiana and beyond.”

Among the Colts, the finalists were also the Los Angeles Clippers, the Los Angeles Kings, and the New York Yankees. The Horseshoe had been a finalist for the past three years.

The Colts are the first professional sports franchise to earn this award for a mental health initiative and become the third NFL team to win the honor—joining the Denver Broncos (2022) and San Francisco 49ers (2017).

The award was created a decade ago and is given out annually. Congrats to the Colts!