Sauce Gardner shares big admission about relationship with Aaron Rodgers

New York Jets cornerback Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner will go up against an old friend when he faces the Pittsburgh Steelers and quarterback Aaron Rodgers in Week 1 of the upcoming NFL season on Sept. 7. 

During a recent chat with Brighid Tully of Complex, Gardner discussed how his relationship with Rodgers has changed since the 41-year-old decided he wanted to play for the Steelers following his two-campaign stint with the Jets.  

"We haven’t been in touch as much," Gardner admitted. "At the beginning of the offseason, we were more in touch. I think once there was really a reality that he was going to go to Pittsburgh, we just felt that we didn’t need to talk no more. I feel like we seen us having to play each other Week 1. We really just seen the future — I’m joking about that. But no, we haven’t really talked. We play each other Week 1. I’m sure we going to talk before that, and it’s going to be a good game."

Gardner and Rodgers formed a bond even before the Jets officially landed the future Hall of Fame quarterback from the Green Bay Packers in the spring of 2023. Unfortunately for Gardner and Co., the Jets' Rodgers experiment was mostly a disaster. Rodgers suffered a torn Achilles tendon just four offensive snaps into the 2023 season, and he largely looked like a shell of his former great self as the 2024 Jets limped to a 5-12 record. 

ESPN's Aaron Schatz and others have pointed out that the new Jets regime that parted ways with Rodgers earlier this year could hand Gardner a lucrative contract extension before the upcoming campaign gets underway. That said, Gardner acknowledged during his conversation with Tully that he has seen and heard takes claiming he is an "overrated" defensive back. 

In June, Antwan Staley of the New York Daily News noted that Gardner's missed-tackle rate of 17.5 percent for last season had him ranked 80th out of 96 qualified cornerbacks, according to Pro Football Focus. Gardner also committed 11 penalties after he was guilty of only five fouls over his first two pro seasons. 

"Balling," Gardner responded when asked what fans can expect to see later this year. "Not just me, but the rest of the team. I’m going to go out there and do what I got to do this year."

As of Wednesday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook listed Rodgers' Steelers as three-point favorites over Gardner's Jets for the Week 1 matchup that will be held at MetLife Stadium. One wonders if Rodgers will throw Gardner's way early and often on that Sunday afternoon.