Sauce Gardner didn't just get traded Tuesday. He got blindsided.
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ESPN's Rich Cimini reports that Gardner and his brother/agent Allante Gardner had zero idea a deal was coming. They found out at 12:15 p.m. ET when head coach Aaron Glenn called Sauce directly.
"I called Ahmad. He's in great spirits," Allante said, via Cimini. "I told him this is a business decision and he understands that. The Jets made a business decision. They couldn't turn it down and Ahmad deserves to be on a winning football team."
Now he is. The star corner goes from a 1-7 Jets team to a Colts squad sitting at 7-2 and entering a legit Super Bowl window.
The move becomes even more shocking when you remember the Jets just extended Gardner in June. They made him the highest-paid cornerback in the league at $30.1 million per year — though only $13.75 million of that came in signing bonus money.
The financials made a deal palatable. The Jets have already paid Gardner just over $14 million, and since the trade happens after June 1, there's minimal cap pain ahead. The Colts take on the heavy part of the contract beginning in 2026.
New York's return? Two first-round picks and receiver AD Mitchell.
A massive swing. A massive surprise. And a franchise-altering move for both teams.
