Getty New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner.
The new phrase around New York Jets land is “lost in the sauce,” because second-year cornerback Sauce Gardner isn’t hoping to emulate NYJ legend Darrelle Revis and “Revis island,” but instead make a name for himself in the Big Apple.
“I’m never the type to limit myself to someone else’s success,” Gardner told Travis and Jason Kelce on their hit podcast, New Heights. “Same with me, when it’s somebody and I’m that dude. Don’t be like me, be better than me, so, you know, I admire [Revis], I admire his game. I was looking forward to meeting him. He was a great corner and everything, but I wanna be better than him. You know what I mean?”
The quote from Gardner was in response to the Kansas City Chiefs tight end asking him whether or not there was any added pressure following Revis with the Jets — as Travis Kelce did with Hall of Famer Tony Gonzalez in KC. Clearly, based on his response and his Defensive Player of the Year award in year one, there wasn’t.
Revis recently joined Gonzalez in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2023.
Darrelle Revis Appears to Be Taking Interest in Jets Youngster Sauce Gardner
During the same interview with the Kelce brothers, Gardner talked about his relationship with Revis since he first entered the league. “First thing, he just told me I could do anything if I put my mind to it,” the young Jets CB recalled.
“We got a chance to break down some film, watch some film, so I got to see his film and he got to see some of mine, and he’s a great dude, man,” Gardner continued on Revis. “I’m just blessed to have gotten a chance to just spend time with him.”
This is all really nice to hear, especially if Gardner wants to be “better” than Revis by the end of his NYJ career. After all, he’s off to a pretty good start and any help from the Hall of Fame CB can only help expedite the process.
Jets’ Sauce Gardner Says Forget DPOY in 2023, He Wants to Win MVP
Speaking of bold statements, toward the end of the interview Travis Kelce told Gardner to go win Defensive Player of the Year in 2023, and the shutdown defender had an unexpected response.
“Oh, I definitely need to — nah, I might have to go and get MVP, my fault,” he decided midsentence.
The Kelce brothers immediately reacted with a mix of being both shocked and impressed. “Has there ever been a cornerback — there’s never been a cornerback to win MVP now, right?” Jason Kelce questioned.
“Nah, why’s it so many quarterbacks?” Gardner replied. “When you think MVP, quarterbacks be the first ballot when it comes to the picks.”
That led to a funny exchange where Jason Kelce asked if QBs are public enemy No. 1 for the stud cornerback. “I mean, it’s quarterbacks first because why would you even try me like that?” Gardner joked to a round of laughter, adding later: “No, [it’s actually] offensive coordinators first… I’m looking at the coach like, seriously?”
Travis Kelce couldn’t agree more, except he noted that the defensive coordinator is his first unofficial opponent during a football game.
Jets’ Sauce Gardner Reveals Mount Rushmore of NFL CBs
Don’t take any of this as disrespect to Revis or those that came before him, because Gardner paid homage to the NFL greats at cornerback during the podcast spot too, revealing his Mount Rushmore of CBs (top four all-time).
“I gotta go with Darrelle Revis, Deion Sanders,” Gardner began. “Do I go Charles Woodson? I have to, I gotta go Charles Woodson, [and] I’m thinking Champ Bailey.”
There you have it folks. Perhaps someday, Gardner will oust one of those legendary figures, etching his own face into the Mount Rushmore of all-time NFL cornerbacks.
One thing’s for sure, you know he won’t fall short due to a lack of motivation.