Stephen A. Smith and Jeff Saturday debate Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon
Credit: ESPN
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If Indianapolis Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon is going to remain in her gameday post on the sideline, then Stephen A. Smith wants to see her do something productive.
The Colts got some run on First Take Wednesday morning because they’re playing the Dallas Cowboys this weekend. And while surmising the Colts might be a bigger embarrassment than the Cowboys right now, Smith took aim at their owner.
Stephen A. Smith on Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon: “What you on the sideline for? You just sightseeing? Do something! Get rid of somebody! Make a change!”
Jeff Saturday: “She just fired a guy!” https://t.co/6VX3PMLdZM
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) November 4, 2026
“This owner, I’m sitting here going like this, I didn’t mind her parading up and down the sidelines. That’s what she does. My whole point is, what the hell you doing that for if you ain’t gonna do nothing about the product you’re seeing?” Smith ranted. “What you on the sideline for? You just sightseeing? Do something! Get rid of somebody! Make a change! Send a message that you’re moving in a different direction.”
Irsay-Gordon has been a fixture on the sideline in recent seasons, even wearing a headset to listen in on some of the coaches’ play calling and conversations. And with meddling typically viewed as a negative for team owners, putting yourself on the sideline during games will draw some criticism. But criticizing Irsay-Gordon for not doing anything this season isn’t it. Because there’s one sizeable problem with Smith’s rant: Irsay-Gordon has done something; she’s done a lot this season. The Colts owner fired the general manager and all but announced a full-blown trade deadline fire sale for the team.
“She just fired a guy!” Jeff Saturday fired back. “She fired somebody. She did do something.”
Irsay-Gordon fired general manager Chris Ballard after the Colts got off to a 2-4 start, ending his nearly 10-year tenure with the franchise. Additionally, unofficial interim general manager Ed Dodds traded future Hall of Fame offensive lineman Quenton Nelson and defensive tackle DeForest Buckner. The Colts are fielding offers for running back Jonathan Taylor, wide receiver Josh Downs, and even quarterback Daniel Jones ahead of next Tuesday’s trade deadline. Surely, those trades are being made and considered under Irsay-Gordon’s direction.
But when backed into a corner over his bad take, Smith ignored the fact that Irsay-Gordon has done a lot this season, and questioned why head coach Shane Steichen is still there.
“Why the coach there?” Smith pressed. “What’s he there for. Stop. Don’t wait. Stop it. You ain’t going nowhere. Let the people of Indianapolis know you moving in a different direction.”
The last time the Colts fired their head coach in-season, they plucked Jeff Saturday away from ESPN to fill the void on an interim basis, which was probably a bigger embarrassment than just letting their fired head coach finish out the season. Steichen is going to get fired. And if Irsay-Gordon wants to wait until after the trade deadline or after the season, it doesn’t really matter. Firing the general manager and trading away one of the best players in franchise history already let the people of Indianapolis know they’re moving in a different direction.
UConn Huskies head coach Dan Hurley watches from the sideline as they take on the DePaul Blue Demons at XL Center.
UConn Huskies head coach Dan Hurley watches from the sideline as they take on the DePaul Blue Demons at XL Center.