Why is Ahmad Gardner called 'Sauce Gardner'? Nickname of Jets CB explained

Ahmad Gardner is in his second season with the New York Jets. The Jets drafted the cornerback with the No. 4 pick in 2022, and he's gone on to earn two Pro Bowl honors.

However, most NFL fans and commentators don't refer to him as Ahmad, and instead, he is known commonly as “Sauce” Gardner.

In an interview during the 2022 NFL draft combine, Gardner explained that his nickname "Sauce" was coined by one of his former youth coaches, Curtez Harris, who used it to attribute his playing style when he was six years old.

“Little league football,” Gardner said. "I had the moves. I was playing running back. I was saucy with the juke moves."

When Harris saw Gardner play, he called the cornerback “A1 Sauce Sweet Feet Gardner,” which was later shortened to “Sauce,” which has stuck with him since

"My personal meaning is a level of confidence." Gardner said. "When I'm on and off the field, I make sure I've got the sauce. That just keeps me going. When I'm in my little calm mood, it's just me being Ahmad. The Sauce is within me, so I'm always Sauce. I have to know when to flip the switch up and turn the switch off."

In an interview with Yahoo Sports, Gardner also said that he loves sauce with his meals.

"I would get like three Sriracha sauces and dip everything in it - my burger, my nuggets and my fries," he said.

A glimpse into Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner's NFL career

New York Jets CB Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner - Source: Imagn

Sauce Gardner hit the ground running when he was drafted by the Jets and won the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2022. The cornerback racked up 75 tackles, of which 51 were solo, 20 passes defended, two interceptions and one QB hit.

Gardner has earned two Pro Bowl honors in his two seasons with the team. He has also earned two first-team All-Pro selections.

Garnder opened the 2024 season with three tackles, 1.0 sack and one pass defended against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night.