Indianapolis Colts cornerback Sauce Gardner has launched a fiery defence of his performance on social media, following his team's elimination from NFL playoff contention on Sunday. The post, which was later deleted, came after a wave of criticism from fans disappointed with the team's late-season collapse.
A Season of High Hopes and Sudden Decline
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. The move was seen as a major coup for Indianapolis, who surrendered two future first-round picks (2026 and 2027) and receiver Adonai Mitchell to acquire him. Gardner had previously signed a massive four-year, $120 million extension with the Jets just months before the trade.
However, the Colts' fortunes reversed dramatically after the trade, stumbling to a 1-7 finish that extended their playoff drought to a fifth consecutive season. Gardner's own impact was limited by injuries, restricting him to just four appearances for his new team. This led to significant fan discontent, with critics highlighting that both the Jets and Colts posted identical 1-7 records with Gardner on their roster this season.
Gardner's Statistical Defence Goes Viral
After the Colts' 23-17 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars sealed their fate, Gardner took to social media to state his case. He pointed to a remarkably low number of passes thrown in his direction as proof of his continued elite status.
"[I] only have 32 targets," Gardner wrote. "[There] are [zero cornerbacks] that only had 32 targets thru 600+ snaps. [I] only had 22 targets thru 7 games. 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."
He bolstered his argument with further statistics, claiming he had allowed only two touchdowns all season—one of which he attributed to a "busted coverage" during his time with the Jets—and a mere 208 total yards allowed. "ONLY 208 yards allowed all year...some WRs go for 100+ in one game," he added, questioning his detractors: "am i missing something?"
The Elite Cornerback's Value Proposition
Gardner, a third-year player who has already earned All-Pro honours twice, offered his opinion on the value of a shutdown corner. He suggested that an elite defender who can "take away half the field" from opposing offences is "equivalent to having a nice QB."
The former University of Cincinnati standout and fourth-overall draft pick did not cite the source of his target statistics, but his core theory—that quarterbacks actively avoid throwing his way—is a common metric for evaluating top-tier defensive backs. Despite the detailed rebuttal, Gardner chose to delete the post shortly after it was published, though screenshots had already spread widely online.
His immediate future is now in question after he aggravated a calf injury during the loss to Jacksonville. It remains unclear if he will be active for the Colts' final Week 18 game against the Houston Texans.
