American · Newark, USA · Born 31 August 2000Sauce Gardner is a New York Jets cornerback who won Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2022 and quickly established himself as one of the league's top shutdown corners.
Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner was born on 31 August 2000 in Detroit, Michigan, and starred at Martin Luther King Jr. High School, where he played both wide receiver and cornerback before committing to the University of Cincinnati, one of the few programmes to recruit him consistently despite being viewed by others as coming from a difficult city. Gardner became a consensus All-American and AAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2021, having never allowed a touchdown in coverage throughout his college career, before the New York Jets selected him fourth overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. Gardner won NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2022, becoming the first rookie cornerback since Ronnie Lott in 1981 to earn first-team All-Pro honours, and added a second All-Pro selection the following season. Gardner was traded to the Indianapolis Colts in November 2025, continuing his career as one of the league's most dominant young cornerbacks, renowned for his confidence and shutdown coverage ability from the moment he entered the NFL.
Elite New York Jets cornerback and 2022 Defensive Rookie of the Year
How They Played
Press coverage specialist with exceptional physicality, ball skills, and man-to-man coverage
Lasting Impact
Considered one of the premier young cornerbacks in the NFL with elite coverage ability
Career Honours
- NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (2022)
- 3x Pro Bowl
- 2x First-team All-Pro
| Team | Period | Games | Jersey |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York Jets | 2022–2024 | 51 | #24 |
American Athletes