Sauce Gardner reveals he used to DM this NFL star while in college
Most college athletes aspire to be like their professional counterparts. Whether it’s between players who shared time at the same university, played the same position, or grew up in the same area, NFL players can be fans just like the average viewer.
Move over, Swifites – appearing on the Green Light podcast with Chris Long on Monday, New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner admitted that he used to fanboy over Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
Much like Scottie Smalls admired Benny “the Jet” Rodriguez in “The Sandlot,” Gardner made it clear that he looked up to the Chiefs’ veteran tight end. Yet, while Smalls ended up as a color commentator for Benny’s Dodgers, Sauce has proven to be an elite player in his own right.
“I used to just DM [Travis] on Twitter,” said Gardner. “He never saw it until after I got drafted [to the Jets], when he was probably going to congratulate me on getting drafted and everything. I used to tell him, ‘Yeah, one day I’m going to be in the NFL like you.’ I used to just say little things like that whenever I would see him on social media and I just remember he had hit me back. That was love.”
But it’s not just Taylor Swift’s future love interest who caught Gardner’s eye at Cincinnati. Kelce’s older brother (and future first-ballot Hall of Fame center), Jason, was another player that the Jets’ cornerback reached out to for advice entering the NFL.
“I met [Travis and Jason] a while ago. Those were my guys. And all three of us being Cincinnati alums, it is great. Any advice I need from them, they don’t hesitate to give it to me.”
While Gardner still looks to the Kelce brothers for advice, it’s the Jets’ newest quarterback that continues pushing him to grow as a person and a player.
“[Aaron Rodgers is] so confident in himself,” said Gardner. “That’s one thing that I get from him that I try to apply to me because age doesn’t matter. It’s confidence. You don’t have to be in a league for 10-plus years to be confident.”
Confidence is something the Jets cornerback clearly has. While Rodgers continues to grab media headlines, Gardner has become the Jets’ social media diplomat. Whether it’s comedic or controversial, Gardner’s presence online has continued to boost his popularity. In return, it provides an opportunity to create new fans in the process. Part of that has been his involvement in the streaming community.
I have a 1v1 vs. Sketch on Thursday and haven’t touched R6 since last season & barely play Madden. I need a sweaty R6 squad now😂❕ And then I need a madden guru after that🫡
— SAUCE GARDNER (@iamSauceGardner) March 19, 2024
When asked about his strategy in Madden on if he plays as himself, the Jets cornerback had an interesting answer.
“When I do get on Madden, I play Ultimate Team,” began Gardner. “I’ll put a safety that can tackle at ‘backer and I’ll just control him so that way he can move and he can tackle…You’ve got to go on the high view to see me for some reason. I don’t know how to control the corners. I feel like I get beat a lot whenever I’m on myself, so yeah, that’s not for me.”
However, one thing Gardner does not want to have happen to him this season is getting beat. That’s why the two-time first-team All-Pro has stayed vigilant in his training and tape study. So when asked how he prepares for the Miami Dolphins’ receiving duo, the Jets’ third-year player gave Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle plenty of respect.
“You got Tyreek, but Jaylen Waddle who is like Tyreek Hill 2.0, you know what I’m saying? So you can’t be like, ‘Oh, let’s take Tyreek out the game and just have to focus on Jaylen,’ because Jaylen a dog too. So it’s just like, hey, you just got to trust in your game. You got to trust in your preparation. When you play in Miami, they’re not just going to line up and just run routes. They have the ability to do that, but that’s just not what they do. It’s going to be a lot of moving pieces before the ball even snaps. When the ball snap, you just going to see things left, right and vertical. It’s just going to be a lot going on.”
Sauce Gardner on game-planning for both Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle@JOEL9ONE | @iamSauceGardner | @cheetah pic.twitter.com/XZxSeGI2CF
— Green Light with Chris Long (@greenlight) June 3, 2024
That preparation is going to be key if the Jets want to make a serious run at the playoffs this season. With a four-time NFL MVP at quarterback and an elite defense headed by Gardner, not only are the Jets expected to make the playoffs, but they could be in a position to play for in the Super Bowl.
