Indianapolis Colts cornerback Sauce Gardner launched a staunch defence of his performance in a now-deleted social media post, after his team was officially eliminated from NFL playoff contention on Sunday.
A Season of Struggle and Injury
The 25-year-old defensive star was traded from the struggling 1-7 New York Jets to the then 7-1 Colts back in November. However, the move did not have the desired effect, as Indianapolis proceeded to collapse, finishing their season with a dismal 1-7 record. This marks the franchise's fifth consecutive year without a postseason appearance.
Gardner's impact was limited by injuries, restricting him to just four appearances for the Colts. Despite this, sections of the fanbase have expressed disappointment, particularly given the high price paid to acquire him: two future first-round draft picks (2026 and 2027) and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell.
Gardner's Fiery Social Media Defence
The situation reached a boiling point after the Colts' 23-17 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Critics on social media noted that both the Jets and Colts compiled identical 1-7 records with Gardner on their roster this season. The former fourth-overall draft pick from the University of Cincinnati decided he had seen enough.
In a detailed post he later removed, Gardner pointed to a key statistic to argue his case for elite performance. "[I] only have 32 targets," he wrote, claiming the figure was unparalleled for a player with over 600 snaps. He elaborated that just 22 of those targets came in his seven games played, stating, "I DO NOT GET TARGETED AS MUCH AS 99.8% OF OTHER [cornerbacks] in the league.. and only like 50% of those [passes] got completed."
Boasting a Shutdown Season
Gardner went further, boasting that he had allowed only two touchdowns all season, attributing one to a "busted coverage" during his time with the Jets. He also highlighted that he had surrendered "ONLY 208 yards allowed all year...some WRs go for 100+ in one game." He concluded this point by asking rhetorically, "am i missing something?"
The two-time All-Pro then offered his opinion on the value of a top cornerback, suggesting that a player who can "take away half the field" from an offence is "equivalent to having a nice QB."
Uncertain Future and Costly Trade
It remains unclear if Gardner will be fit to play in Week 18 against the Houston Texans after he aggravated a calf injury during the loss to Jacksonville. His future with the Colts is now a major talking point following the team's dramatic late-season collapse.
The trade itself looks increasingly costly for Indianapolis. Gardner had signed a massive four-year, $120 million contract extension with the Jets just months before being moved. The Colts' gamble to acquire a premier defender has, thus far, failed to translate into the on-field success they desperately sought, leaving the high-profile cornerback to defend his own reputation as the season ends in disappointment.
