Carlie Irsay-Gordon's Message to Colts GM During Sauce Gardner Trade Talks Revealed

Indianapolis Colts co-owner and CEO Carlie Irsay-Gordon reportedly weighed in on her team's trade for two-time All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner before it was finalized Tuesday by general manager Chris Ballard.

Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reported Thursday that Ballard spoke to Irsay-Gordon ahead of the 2025 trade deadline about whether to address the team's secondary needs with a role player or a star.

According to Breer, Irsay-Gordon responded: "Do you want to Band-Aid it or fix it for the long term?"

Ballard apparently decided to take the long-term approach by trading two first-round picks and wideout Adonai Mitchell to the New York Jets in order to acquire Gardner.

The move came after Colts cornerback Charvarius Ward suffered his second concussion of the season ahead of Week 6.

While looking for help to fill in for Ward amid his recovery, Colts assistant general manager Ed Dodds reached out to Jets general manager Darren Mougey, according to Breer.

Mougey, who Breer reported had just started a weekly staff exercise of estimating trade value for every player on his roster, told Dodds he would listen to offers for anyone on his defense.

Dodds passed that information to Ballard, who took the proposed trade to Irsay-Gordon the day before the trade deadline, Breer reported.

According to Breer, Irsay-Gordon backed the plan after Ballard pitched her a 2026 Colts secondary featuring Gardner, Ward, Kenny Moore and Justin Walley.

Gardner has been sidelined since suffering a concussion on Oct. 19 in the Jets' Week 7 matchup with the Carolina Panthers, but he is set to make his Colts debut this Sunday in Berlin if cleared ahead of the international Week 10 matchup.

The Colts gave up first-round picks in 2026 and 2027 in an indication the team is ready to win now behind quarterback Daniel Jones.

Jones has led Indianapolis to a 7-2 start to what has so far been a redemptive first season away from the New York Giants, although he is coming off his worst outing of the campaign after throwing three picks in last Sunday's Nov. 2 loss at the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Irsay-Gordon has meanwhile been visible this season as a gameday presence on the sidelines, where she wears a headset to listen to play calls in a tactic she said ahead of the 2025 season help her decide where the Colts "need to make tweaks."

The Colts have led the NFL with 32.2 points per game through Week 9, but the team's pass defense ranks 26th in the league with more than 244 yards allowed per game.

That defensive weakness, and an apparent belief in Jones to lead the offense going forward, led Ballard and Irsay-Gordon to back what appears to be an all-in move ahead of the upcoming postseason.