Sometimes a decision can seem so right one minute and seem so wrong the next. Every NFL general manager understands that dynamic. And still, it must have stunned Indianapolis Colts' general manager Chris Ballard how quickly his blockbuster trade for star cornerback Sauce Gardner has boomeranged on him and his club.
When he made the deal in early November, analysts were speculating on whether this move would put the Colts in the Super Bowl. A month later, it is looking like it might end up costing Ballard his job.
A combination of terrible luck and overly rosy perspective on his roster has combined to make the Gardner deal symbol number one in the Colts' 2025 implosion.