Sauce Gardner

Sauce Gardner

Gardner in 2022
No. 1 – New York Jets
Position:	Cornerback
Personal information
Born:	(2000-08-31) August 31, 2000 (age 24) Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:	190 lb (86 kg)
Career information
High school:	Martin Luther King Jr. (Detroit)
College:	Cincinnati (2019–2021)
NFL draft:	2022 / round: 1 / pick: 4
Career history
New York Jets (2022–present)
Roster status:	Active
Career highlights and awards
NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (2022) 2× First-team All-Pro (2022, 2023) 2× Pro Bowl (2022, 2023) PFWA All-Rookie Team (2022) AAC Defensive Player of the Year (2021) Consensus All-American (2021) First-team All-American (2020) 3× First-team All-AAC (2019–2021)
Career NFL statistics as of Week 17, 2024
Total tackles: 181 Sacks: 1.0 Forced fumbles: 1 Pass deflections: 40 Interceptions: 3 Stats at Pro Football Reference

Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner (born August 31, 2000) is an American professional football cornerback for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Cincinnati Bearcats and was selected fourth overall by the Jets in the 2022 NFL draft. Gardner was named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and was the first rookie cornerback since Ronnie Lott in 1981 to be named first-team All-Pro.

Early life

Gardner was born on August 31, 2000, in Detroit, Michigan.^[1] He attended Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School, where he played wide receiver and cornerback on their football team.^[2] In the Division 2 State Championship, Gardner caught four passes for 126 yards and two touchdowns. After the season, Gardner was named an All-State selection at cornerback by the Associated Press. A three-star cornerback recruit, Gardner committed to play college football at Cincinnati over offers from Akron, Alabama A&M, Ball State, Bowling Green, Central Michigan, Colorado State, Indiana, Iowa State, Kentucky, Northern Illinois, Syracuse, Toledo, Western Michigan, and Youngstown State.^[3]

College career

In 2019, his true freshman season, Gardner played in 11 games. He had 31 tackles and three interceptions, two of which he returned for touchdowns. He also tallied 11 passes defended and eight pass breakups. After the season, Gardner was the only true freshman named to the American Athletic Conference first-team.^[4][5] As a sophomore in 2020, Gardner began the season atop the depth chart as a starter.^[6] As a junior, Gardner was voted to the 2021 College Football All-America Team and named the AAC Defensive Player of the Year en route to helping Cincinnati become the first Group of Five team to reach the College Football Playoff.^[7][8][9] He declared for the 2022 NFL draft following the season.^[10]

College statistics

Season	GP	Tackles					Interceptions					Fumbles
		Solo	Ast	Cmb	TfL	Sck	Int	Yds	Avg	TD	PD	FR	FF	TD
2019	11	24	7	31	0	0	3	78	26	2	6	0	0	0
2020	9	16	12	28	0.5	0.5	3	18	6	0	6	0	0	0
2021	13	28	12	40	5	3	3	7	2.3	0	4	0	0	0
Career	33	68	31	99	5.5	3.5	9	103	11.4	2	16	0	0	0

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables

Height	Weight	Arm length	Hand span	40-yard dash	10-yard split	20-yard split
6 ft 2+3⁄4 in (1.90 m)	190 lb (86 kg)	33+1⁄2 in (0.85 m)	9+5⁄8 in (0.24 m)	4.41 s	1.51 s	2.56 s
All values from NFL Combine[11][12]

Gardner (right) in his rookie season with the Jets.

Gardner was selected fourth overall by the New York Jets in the 2022 NFL Draft.^[13] He signed his four-year rookie contract, worth $38.7 million fully guaranteed, on May 7, 2022.^[14]

Gardner made his first career interception in Week 5 against the Miami Dolphins.^[15] In Week 7, he had 10 tackles and three pass breakups against the Denver Broncos, earning AFC Defensive Player of the Week.^[16] He started in all 17 games as a rookie. He finished with 75 total tackles (51 solo), two interceptions, and 20 passes defensed.^[17] His 20 passes defended led the league.^[18] Gardner was selected for the 2023 Pro Bowl Games, joining Tariq Woolen of the Seattle Seahawks as the only rookies selected.^[19] He won the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award and was also named a first-team All-Pro, becoming the first rookie cornerback to achieve the honor since Ronnie Lott in 1981.^[20][21] He was ranked 23rd by his fellow players on the NFL Top 100 Players of 2023.^[22]

In the 2023 season, Gardner made 16 appearances and starts. He finished with 57 total tackles (41 solo), 11 passes defended, and one forced fumble.^[23] He earned Pro Bowl and first team All-Pro honors for the 2023 season.^[24][25] Gardner was the 3rd defensive player and only cornerback in NFL history to receive first-team All-Pro honors in each of their first two seasons in the League.^[26]

NFL career statistics

Legend
	Led the league
Bold	Career high

Year	Team	Games		Tackles							Interceptions						Fumbles
		GP	GS	Cmb	Solo	Ast	TFL	QBH	Sck	Sfty	PD	Int	Yds	Y/I	Lng	TD	FF	FR	Yds	Y/R	TD
2022	NYJ	17	17	75	51	24	3	1	0.0	-	20	2	19	9.5	16	0	0	0	0	-	0
2023	NYJ	16	16	57	41	16	2	0	0.0	-	11	0	0	-	0	0	1	0	0	-	0
Career		33	33	132	92	40	5	1	0.0	-	31	2	19	9.5	16	0	1	0	0	-	0

Personal life

Gardner is a Christian.^[27]

Gardner took the nickname "Sauce",^[a] from a youth football coach at age six because he had barbecue sauce all over his face while eating some ribs.^[28][29] In 2022, he partnered with the sports bar chain Buffalo Wild Wings to endorse a sweet and spicy barbecue sauce known as "Sauce Sauce".^[30]

Notes

1. Originally A1 Sauce Sweet Feet Gardner before being shortened

References

1. Brugler, Dane. "The Beast: 2022 NFL Draft Guide" (PDF). The Athletic. pp. 228–229. Archived (PDF) from the original on April 8, 2022. Retrieved November 15, 2022.
2. McCabe, Mick; Dunlap, Keith (December 14, 2018). "Meet the 2018 Free Press' All-Detroit high school football team". Detroit Free Press. Archived from the original on September 21, 2020. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
3. "Ahmad Gardner, New York Jets, Cornerback". 247Sports. Archived from the original on December 19, 2022. Retrieved October 27, 2022.
4. Neuffer, Phil (March 4, 2020). "Cincinnati Bearcats Football Season in Review: Ahmad Gardner". Down the Drive. Archived from the original on May 28, 2023. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
5. Lusk, Logan (March 4, 2020). "Q&A — Football sophomore Ahmad Gardner". The News Record. Archived from the original on March 8, 2023. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
6. Goricki, David (September 1, 2020). "At Cincinnati, Detroit King's Ahmad Gardner takes his place among nation's top cornerbacks". The Detroit News. Archived from the original on September 21, 2020. Retrieved November 22, 2020.
7. "Consensus All-America Teams (2020-2022)". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on March 4, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
8. "AAC Defensive Player of the Year Winners". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
9. Zagoria, Adam (December 5, 2021). "Cincinnati Becomes First 'Group Of Five' Team To Make College Football Playoff And Will Face No. 1 Alabama". Forbes. Archived from the original on May 16, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
10. Jeyarajah, Shehan (January 4, 2022). "2022 NFL Draft: Cincinnati CB Ahmad Gardner declares after dominant career with Bearcats program". CBS Sports. Archived from the original on September 22, 2022. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
11. "Sauce Gardner Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Archived from the original on December 31, 2016. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
12. "2022 Draft Scout Ahmad Gardner, Cincinnati NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile". draftscout.com. Archived from the original on April 2, 2023. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
13. Bell, Jack (April 29, 2022). "Jets Select CB Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner with No. 4 Pick of 2022 NFL Draft". NewYorkJets.com. Archived from the original on May 29, 2023. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
14. Lange, Randy (May 7, 2022). "Sauce Gardner, Jets' Top Draft Pick, Signs His Rookie Contract". NewYorkJets.com. Archived from the original on June 6, 2023. Retrieved May 8, 2022.
15. Clark, Dave (October 9, 2022). "Big half for former UC Bearcats star Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner includes first NFL INT, safety". The Enquirer. Archived from the original on October 9, 2022. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
16. Gordon, Grant (October 26, 2022). "Bengals QB Joe Burrow, Giants QB Daniel Jones among Players of the Week". NFL.com. Archived from the original on October 26, 2022. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
17. "Sauce Gardner 2022 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on July 16, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
18. "2022 NFL Leaders and Leaderboards". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Archived from the original on January 22, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
19. "Pro Bowl selections for all 32 teams: Full AFC, NFC rosters". ESPN.com. December 22, 2022. Archived from the original on March 25, 2023. Retrieved January 1, 2023.
20. Alper, Josh (February 10, 2023). "2022 NFL defensive rookie of the year: Sauce Gardner". ProFootballTalk. Archived from the original on February 19, 2023. Retrieved February 19, 2023.
21. Maaddi, Rob (January 13, 2023). "NFL All-Pros: Kelce, Jefferson unanimous; 16 first-timers". APNews.com. Associated Press. Archived from the original on April 6, 2023. Retrieved January 13, 2023.
22. "2023 NFL Top 100". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
23. "Sauce Gardner 2023 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
24. "2023 NFL Pro Bowlers". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
25. "2023 NFL All-Pros". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
26. "Will Sauce Gardner's quest to be the best CB be overshadowed by lack of interceptions?". ESPN.com. September 19, 2024. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
27. "Sauce Gardner: Follower of Christ, Child of God". Archived from the original on November 7, 2023. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
28. Vasquez, Andy (April 28, 2022). "Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner: 3 things to know about NY Jets' No. 1 pick in 2022 NFL Draft". North Jersey. Archived from the original on September 22, 2022. Retrieved April 28, 2022.
29. Thamel, Pete (November 18, 2021). "Here's how Bearcats star Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner got that nickname and why his skills have caught NFL eyes". Yahoo! Sports. Archived from the original on March 8, 2023. Retrieved February 21, 2022.
30. Riccette, Billy (August 29, 2022). "Sauce Gardner to create 'Sauce sauce' with Buffalo Wild Wings". Jets Wire. USA Today. Archived from the original on May 29, 2023. Retrieved August 29, 2022.

External links

• Sauce Gardner on Twitter
• Career statistics from NFL.com · ESPN · Yahoo Sports
• New York Jets bio
• Cincinnati Bearcats bio