Jets' Sauce Gardner deactivates X account after brutal loss to Cowboys
The reality of life without quarterback Aaron Rodgers has officially hit the New York Jets, who suffered a deflating 30-10 loss to the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday.
It was a particularly uncharacteristic performance for the Jets defense, which hadn't allowed 30 points since their 31-30 2022 Week 2 win in Cleveland. Apparently, frustration over the loss has driven All-Pro CB Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner to deactivate his account on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, after the game.
Before deactivating his account, Gardner fired back at a Cowboys fan for claiming the cornerback was primarily responsible for Dallas wideout CeeDee Lamb's 11 receptions and 143 yards on Sunday.
“Damnn y’all really love sayin’ my name on this app lol," Gardner wrote. "He didn’t catch a ball on me today. Source: Me."
The 2023 season has not gotten off to the start Gardner was hoping for. In New York's Week 1 win over Buffalo, Gardner allowed four receptions for 59 yards, according to Pro Football Focus, both of which tied career highs in the respective categories. Then, during the first half on Sunday, as New York trailed 10-7, the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year dropped an interception that he likely would have returned for a touchdown.
Gardner doesn't seem to be the only Jet disappointed with Sunday's outcome, as star running back Breece Hall shared a now-deleted post insinuating he was unhappy with his role in the loss. Hall shared four football emojis followed by several dots, likely referring to the four carries he received against Dallas.
While his social media usage is irrelevant to his on-field performance, perhaps Gardner will benefit from a temporary break, which could help him focus on turning what was supposed to be a promising season around for the Jets. New York (1-1) hosts the New England Patriots (0-2) next week in a pivotal AFC East matchup.
More must-reads: