The Indianapolis Colts were 2-5 heading into Sunday’s Week 8 game at Jacksonville. Days before kickoff, they had shipped out Quenton Nelson, a guard with Pro Bowl status, and DeForest Buckner, a defensive tackle with Pro Bowl honors. With the Nov. 10 trade deadline nine days away, Jonathan Taylor, the team’s star at running back, abruptly faced an uncertain future.

But it was the handling of Taylor that drew a pointed rebuke from former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive tackle Breiden Fehoko.

Breiden Fehoko Delivers His Verdict on Carlie Irsay-Gordon

In a post before the 1 p.m. ET kickoff, Fehoko criticized Colts owner and CEO Carlie Irsay-Gordon over the apparent shift in Indianapolis’ stance on Jonathan Taylor.

“They protected that owner because of her gender but what she is doing is absolute malpractice,” Fehoko said about Irsay-Gordon. “How do you say we ain’t shopping Taylor then go back on your word and say ‘nvm we’re open to receiving calls’ but you now play him cause you feel like you can still win the south.”

Earlier reports indicated that Colts ownership did not want to trade Taylor. On Saturday morning, however, NFL insiders Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport reported that Indianapolis was open to dealing him and that talks with multiple teams were “active and ongoing.”

The lines Fehoko attributed to the Colts were his own characterization of the team’s position, not direct quotes from the organization.

Even with Indianapolis open to moving Taylor if the return was right, he was in line to suit up when the Colts visited the Jacksonville Jaguars, ESPN reported ahead of kickoff.

So a player whose name sat at the heart of active trade talks was poised to play on the road against a division rival. The Colts came into Sunday in second place in the AFC South.

What the Reporting Says About Irsay-Gordon and Jonathan Taylor

The Colts fired general manager Chris Ballard after a Week 6 loss to the previously winless Tennessee Titans. ESPN’s reporting puts Irsay-Gordon at the center of what has happened since, with Ed Dodds as interim general manager.

According to the outlet’s sources, Irsay-Gordon spearheaded organizational conversations the Monday after an Oct. 25 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Those talks led to the Nelson and Buckner trades that Tuesday, which brought back a 2027 third-round pick, a 2027 fourth-round pick and a 2028 fifth-round pick.

The same report, though, says the Colts would prefer that Taylor be part of their rebuild. Irsay-Gordon is said to have “an affinity for the three-time Pro Bowler,” and sources said the two met this past week for an in-depth conversation about the future.

Taylor talked about his future on Thursday. He said he is “always proud to wear the horseshoe” but acknowledged where things could be headed: “Whether you like it or not, the day may come. You may get to stay somewhere forever, but you understand the business side of it.”

By Saturday, ESPN reported, one or more offers already in the Colts’ hands featured a second-round pick plus further compensation. The team would aim for a return in the mold of the 2022 Christian McCaffrey deal, in which the San Francisco 49ers gave the Carolina Panthers second-, third-, fourth- and fifth-round picks, the outlet added.

Among the clubs believed to hold at least some interest, according to the report, are the Denver Broncos, Green Bay Packers, Vikings, and New York Giants.

Taylor is 27 and ranks 10th on PFN’s RB Impact Metric. He signed a two-year, $44 million extension in August and is under contract for $15 million in 2027 and $9.46 million in 2028. He ran for 95 yards and a 38-yard touchdown on 18 carries in the loss at Minnesota.

He entered Sunday with 587 rushing yards this season, fifth in the NFL, and tied for the league lead with eight rushing touchdowns. His 8,185 career rushing yards rank second in Colts history, behind only Hall of Famer Edgerrin James.

Whether he keeps adding to that total in a Colts uniform past the deadline now depends on whether any of the teams calling meets Indianapolis’ asking price.