New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner appears to have his official rookie-year jersey number
New York Jets fans have enjoyed a lucrative offseason, one so refreshing that their top rookie’s jersey digit is the biggest controversy as summer looms.
Even that, however, appears to be resolved.
The Jets themselves put an end to the wait and mystery behind Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner’s uniform number, announcing that Gardner will wear a No. 1 jersey.
At cornerback,
from the University Of Cincinnati,Number 1@iamSauceGardner pic.twitter.com/wTUyQ5CEtU
— New York Jets (@nyjets) May 10, 2022
The Jets also called for a little help from the antics of World Wrestling Entertainment CEO and personality Vince McMahon. In recapping their offseason to hate, the Jets listed a series of their 2022 happenings to date, each event accompanied by a shot of an increasingly excited and euphoric McMahon taken from a 2002 WWE event.
The last listing reads “Sauce wearing 1”, maximizing McMahon’s joy and that of Jets fans with it.
#JetsTwitter this offseason pic.twitter.com/Nnr2aO1Ct0
— New York Jets (@nyjets) May 10, 2022
Gardner himself appeared to confirm the numerical news, sharing an edited likeness of his new metropolitan persona.
𝗛𝟭𝗠. . . pic.twitter.com/xZIiYd64ZJ
— SAUCE (@iamSauceGardner) May 10, 2022
The NFL introduced new boundaries and options for the jersey numbers of positional groups last season, allowing several players (such as running back Derrick Henry and cornerback Jalen Ramsey) to reassume their collegiate identities. Gardner wore No. 1 during his time at Cincinnati en route to first-team All-AAC honors in each of his three seasons as well as a trip to the College Football Playoff.
The defender, chosen fourth overall in last month’s NFL Draft in Las Vegas, was originally bestowed No. 20 during rookie minicamp activities in Florham Park last weekend but has appeared to have worked out a deal with the former bearer of No. 1, fellow cornerback D.J. Reed. The latter hinted that he is switching to No. 4 (which previously belonged to new kicker Greg Zuerlein in St. Louis/Los Angeles) after Gardner warned fans not to purchase his jersey until his digit was made official.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags
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