Jets cornerback Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner simply exudes confidence. It’s a huge reason why he’s already a fan favorite in New York entering his sophomore season.
The 22-year-old literally had Jessica Alba tweeting about him after their very first meeting alongside Aaron Rodgers. That’s a level of charisma most of us mere mortals wouldn’t ever be able to sniff.
But not even Gardner could comprehend how he was included in a “start, bench, cut” tweet involving him and two NFL icons: Hall of Famer Champ Bailey and likely future member, Richard Sherman.
I just don’t get it lol… I’m going on Year 2 and y’all gon’ put me in this graphic with two goated CB’s who played 10+ years. It should only be ONE answer. https://t.co/NPMSPMezvO
— SAUCE GARDNER (@iamSauceGardner) June 28, 2023
“I just don’t get it lol… I’m going on Year 2 and y’all gon’ [sic] put me in this graphic with two goated CB’s who played 10+ years. It should only be ONE answer,” Gardner tweeted.
The tweet from “The 33rd Team” incited the debate assuming all players “are in their prime.” That’s a lofty space to tie in any active corner, even Gardner, given what kind of careers the latter two had in the NFL.
Gardner describing Bailey and Sherman as “goated” means he views them as among the greatest of all time at their position.
Bailey was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2019 after being widely considered the best at his position throughout the aughts. He was named a Pro Bowler in nine out of ten seasons from 2000 to 2009, including three straight 1st-Team All-Pro selections as a member of the Denver Broncos.
Sherman was similarly dominant for the Seattle Seahawks throughout the 2010s. On top of his five Pro Bowl nods and three 1st-Team All-Pro selections, he also won a Super Bowl ring in 2013. He was one of the faces of the Seahawks’ vaunted “Legion of Boom” that struck fear into offenses for years.
Could Gardner put his stamp on the 2020s just like the other two did for their respective eras? It’s an entirely possible scenario, one Jets fans are hoping comes to fruition. After all, he finished his rookie campaign both as the 2022 Defensive Rookie of the Year and as a 1st-Team All-Pro member.
But longevity is what sets the greats apart from the very-goods. Gardner will have to sustain his success for another decade to match or even exceed what his predecessors did. He knows it, too.
