Sauce Gardner Q&A: Jets rookie on his nickname, talking trash and being the best (2024)

Sauce Gardner’s mother came to his new house for the first time last week, and when she walked into the kitchen, she couldn’t find the refrigerator.

Gardner couldn’t stop laughing. “It’s right there,” he said, pointing toward the pantry.

When Gardner was a kid, in between dreams about suiting up on Sundays and locking down the NFL’s best wide receivers, he imagined what his first house would look like. He always wanted one of those refrigerators that just blended in with the pantry.

“I always wanted to be able to walk into the kitchen and not be able to know exactly where the fridge is,” Gardner said in a recent interview with The Athletic. “That’s just great. That’s all I ever wanted.”

Gardner is only 21, and living on his own for the first time. He hasn’t even had a moment to take this all in, that he’s an NFL player, a Jets first-round pick at No. 4. He signed a four-year contract worth $33.4 million — with a $21.5 million signing bonus. He paid $50,000 to a teammate so he could wear No. 1. He bought a house, and is still unpacking. He’s already made waves for his trash-talking and his confidence — and his teammates love it, even though they’re not quite ready to call him “Sauce,” a nickname he’s had since he was 6 years old. Veteran teammates like Carl Lawson and C.J. Mosley have said they’ll be calling him by his given name, Ahmad, until he earns the “Sauce” moniker.

But still, Gardner never could have imagined he’d be here, 15 years after he got the nickname, promoting his own sauce curated for him (and by him) for Buffalo Wild Wings. It’s called “Sauce Sauce” and Gardner described it as “smoky, sweet and spicy.”

“I feel like it was all meant to happen,” Gardner said.

In less than two weeks, on Sept. 11, he’ll have his chance to earn that “Sauce” nickname. Sunday, Jets coach Robert Saleh announced that Gardner would start at cornerback in Week 1 against the Ravens after a training camp competition with Bryce Hall.

Gardner spoke with The Athletic recently in a one-on-one video interview. You can see the full video later this week on the “Can’t Wait” podcast.

Here is that conversation, lightly edited for length and clarity.

Let’s start with a question you’ve probably been asked a thousand times: What’s the origin of your nickname?

Little league football. I always had that swagger. Always carried myself some type of way. My coach gave me the nickname Sauce. Ain’t too many people get the nickname Sauce at 6 years old and then get called it to this day. Then be having the opportunity to do something like this with Buffalo Wild Wings, the best in the game. I want to be the best in the game at cornerback before it’s said and done. It’s all on God and it all worked out in my favor.

Could you have imagined when you got that nickname that you’d be sitting here now talking to me about literally having your own sauce?

I was always just thinking about how I’m going to be taking care of my mom because she was always busting her tail to take care of me. It was always football, football, football. Then when it came to college, the NIL (Name, Image and Likeness), they’re like, “You can get your own sauce.” I’m like: I want my own sauce, but I don’t want to rush it. I really be putting my trust in God. … I just let it all come to me. Buffalo Wild Wings, that’s perfect. I was able to make my own sauce, smoky, sweet and spicy barbecue. … I feel like it was all meant to happen.

So with stuff like this happening, getting drafted into the NFL, living out your dream, have you given yourself a moment to appreciate all the stuff that’s happening to you?

I’m not going to lie, it really hasn’t hit me. This house stuff, I’ve been trying not to make it stressful. I was telling my coach, in the house I have to do this, this, this. He said, “Just take it one day at a time. You ain’t going to be able to have everything done in one day, you know what I’m saying?” So I just make sure I take my time with it. I pray at night. I pray when I wake up. That’s the time I have to appreciate this stuff. But I really don’t have time to stop and think about it. I’m always doing something. Especially since I moved into my house. If it’s not the house, it’s watching film, it’s practice, it’s meetings, I haven’t had time. I can’t just sit there and take a moment. Everything is happening, so I gotta be ready for it.

I saw you posted on Instagram recently a photo of your fridge. You said you always wanted to have a fridge that was the same color as the cabinet. Have you had a lot of small moments like that where you’re like, man, it’s cool I got a fridge like that?

That’s what I always say. My favorite phrase that I got from my cornerbacks coach, (Tony) Oden, he always says: “It’s a little, but a big.” It’s a little thing but it’s a big thing. I always pictured myself having one of those.

How do you feel like training camp and the preseason has gone for you?

It’s been going really well. I’m just trying to stay level-headed, making sure I’m listening to the coaches, being a sponge with the coaches and my teammates and making sure I’m doing the right things. That’s been the main things. I’m just doing all the little things right and it’s paying off.

How was it picking off your old friend Desmond Ridder in joint practices? (Ridder played at Cincinnati with Gardner, and now is an Atlanta Falcons quarterback. The Jets and Falcons held joint practices Aug. 19-20.)

We were talking crazy trash the day before that. I was like, “Bro, don’t even try to throw it my way.” He’s like, “Bro, every time you’re up, I’m throwing the ball your way.” But that’s my guy. It felt great, for sure.

You celebrated a little extra after that.

You never see me celebrate extra like that! That’s the first time. I told him I was gonna do it.

Cincy boys.@iamSauceGardner x @desmondridder pic.twitter.com/iY7LBIOwkk

— New York Jets (@nyjets) August 19, 2022

You said you haven’t had a moment to think about all you’ve accomplished, but what do you do when you’re away from football? How do you unwind?

I usually play “Call of Duty: Warzone.” I’ve been setting up my game room. I’ve been trying to set it up, but I’ll be setting it up one minute here and then I’m like, “Oh snap, I gotta do that over there.” I’ve gotta unpack stuff, set everything up. There’s so much stuff. I got a chance to set it up for the most part but I’m doing a few more things to it.

Everybody’s always asking about your trash talk. Do you get brutal when you’re playing “Call of Duty” against some random kid?

I do get a little crazy. I think I got a problem. I don’t know why I gotta take everything serious. It can be the littlest game. I was playing Connect 4 against Carl Lawson. We played Connect 4 and when I lost, I had to run it back. I’m like, “Run it back.” I’m serious. I gotta win! I get so serious about competitive games and it makes no sense. No matter what it is.

Well, on that note: You’re a cornerback and I know you haven’t let a lot of receivers beat you, but are there any times that stick out that you have gotten beat and you’re like: Man, I really should’ve gotten that guy.

Not really. I really don’t get beat very much. It’ll be something small. That’s why I’m looking forward to going against the best guys. I want to see what they’re all about. I’m really hard to beat.

So who is the hardest receiver you’ve ever had to cover, then?

Probably Calvin Austin from Memphis. He plays for the Steelers now. That was my sophom*ore year; I’d never gone against a smaller receiver. I never went against a receiver that was too much shorter than me. He was small, quick. … As a cornerback, you can feel it whether you sticking with him or not. Whether he’s making plays or not, you can still tell if he’s nice or not. I’d probably say him. That’s my dawg.

(Top photo courtesy of Buffalo Wild Wings)

Zack Rosenblatt is a senior writer for The Athletic covering the New York Jets. Before joining The Athletic, he worked as a staff writer for The Star-Ledger, where he covered the Eagles and Giants. He also covered the Arizona Wildcats for the Arizona Daily Star. He's a graduate of the University of Arizona and is originally from Cherry Hill, N.J. Follow Zack on Twitter @ZackBlatt