Great players can’t always control their circumstances.
In the case of New York Jets cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner, who came off a 2022 season that saw him win the consensus Defensive Rookie of the Year award, the expectations were that with the addition of Aaron Rodgers, the Jets were Super Bowl bound. Of course, that went out the window when Rodgers was lost for the season early in the team’s regular season debut, and at that point, you just have to make the best of it.
Which is exactly what Gardner and the Jets’ defense has done. While Gang Green has rifled through quarterbacks, and the offense ranks last in the NFL in DVOA, the defense ranks third, behind only the Cleveland Browns and the Baltimore Ravens. Gardner has been a big part of that, allowing 27 catches on 44 targets for 236 yards, 75 yards after the catch, one touchdown, no interceptions, and an opponent passer rating of 83.1. Gardner and his guys on that side of the ball have maintained a standard of performance with no margin for error.
I recently got to sit down with Gardner and go through some of his best plays from the 2023 season. Gardner was representing his role in Verizon and UNINTERRUPTED’s “Verizon Run the Playlist,” a one-of-a-kind content series offering exclusive access to the music that inspires fans’ favorite NFL teams,
Doug Farrar: First of all, tell me about your involvement in “Run The Playlist.” The Jets playlist must be of specific interest to you. Were there specific songs you wanted on that playlist?
Sauce Gardner: I feel like the ones I chose were the ones that specifically stuck with us throughout the season. Like “SkeeYee” by Sexyy Red was in Hard Knocks — we used that in training camp. There was another song called “Talk” by Yeat, that’s one of Garrett Wilson’s favorite songs. Those two songs kind of summarize the season.
DF: I’ve talked to other cornerbacks through the years – most specifically Richard Sherman – about how interceptions aren’t usually the best arbiter of performance. This would seem to be the case with you this season, because you don’t have an interception yet this season, but you’ve played very well. How do you feel about the lack of picks?
SG: I just feel that I could have gotten the ones back that I didn’t. Make the most of those opportunities. At the end of the day, I’m not getting targeted much, but I still had those opportunities earlier in the season.
DF: You rarely travel from side to side – this season, you have 93% of your snaps on the defensive left side, whether it’s outside, the slot, or a split alignment. Is this your preference, or would you perhaps like to move around more often?
SG: It doesn’t matter to me — wherever the coaches want me, I’m gonna play.
DF: I’m in Seattle, so I know how good D.J. Reed was up here. What makes him such a great (and underrated) cornerback?
SG: Man, he’s just always working. He’s always watching film, taking care of his body, and finding ways to get better. He’s a guy I always watch, and that’s my dog right there. We’re always with each other, picking each other’s brains, asking each other what we see from receivers, and what we can expect.
DF: Through the season, the Jets’ defense has been on point. What does that say about you guys that you’re able to maintain a level of performance regardless? And what does that say about head coach Robert Saleh?
SG: We’re hungry. We’re always finding ways to get better. We play fast — Coach Saleh, he always tells us what to expect, and who we need to stop when we’re playing against an offense. He’s a defensive head coach, so he knows everything about our defense. He’s a great head coach, and we appreciate having him. [The problems] happened on offense, and they’re our brothers, but as a defense, we still have our jobs to do.
With that, let’s get into the job Sauca Gardner has done this season.