Sauce Gardner, New York Jets All-Pro Defensive Back

I'm Larry Mullins, host of the podcast, Your Weirdest Fears, the show that explores the odd things that make your heart stop. I am so scared of the Grinch. He is bad vibes. We talk to everyone from therapists to exterminators to lizard man. I was 25 when I actually got my tongue split.

I have one tattoo that covers my entire body. Listen and subscribe on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts from. To catch up later, there's a lot to listen to.

So get started and download the free Odyssey app today. We continue this Zach Gelb show coast to coast on CBS Sports Radio. And now joining us, he's a man that was the first team All-Pro this year, a Pro Bowler as well as a rookie.

And he plays for New York Jets. That of course is Sauce Gardner joining us on the Zach Gelb show nationwide on CBS Sports Radio. Sauce, how you been? I've been very well, man. Appreciate you for having me.

How you been? I've been fantastic and congratulations on what was a phenomenal rookie season. When you look back at it now, just what stands out and how do you describe what you did on the football field this year?

A lot stands out. Just being able to go out there week in and week out and just compete against elite receivers. That's the main thing. My coach is trusting me enough to put me on those type of guys.

When I watch the film, I criticize myself a lot. So, you know, it's a lot more plays out there that I could have had. So that's the way I'm going to look at it. All the plays I could have had, I'm going to take them with me during this offseason. I'm going to work on everything that I need to work on to get better. Well, we know you're a star and you also have a great personality. And something that I love about your game is the confidence you play with. Where does that confidence come from?

I would probably say it's probably a Detroit name. You know, a lot of my guys that I got from Detroit, you know, they all play football and they always match my energy when it comes to the confidence. You know, just growing up, being the smallest one, you know, before I hit a gross player, I was extremely small. In 10th grade, I was probably like 5'8", you know what I mean? 5'8", 130, I was real, real small. And, you know, I always got counted out, you know, because of that.

So I would just say, man, just all of that stuff. You know, it played a huge role in where I'm at now and my work ethic and everything like that. I love getting doubted, hated on, counted out.

It just pushed me. When did you realize, because you were a three-star recruit when you elected to commit to Cincinnati and we know you ended up being the fourth overall pick in the draft. And we just talked about the credentials you had in your rookie season. When did you start to realize that you were elite and that you were really overlooked almost your entire life? I would probably say, I kind of want to say my first year in college. I just had a pretty good rookie season.

You know, when I first got into college, I had a pretty good first year as well. So I went against a lot of good guys. I went against Gabe Davis against UCF. He was that dude for sure. I was with him the whole way. So, you know, just me, that boosted my confidence even more. Going against somebody that I know is going to play on Sundays, even though I got a little ways, ways to go.

But I knew he was going to go early. You know what I mean? So, yeah. I went to Temple, so I know the American Athletic Conference pretty damn well. That's one underrated conference. They produced a lot of stars in this league.

No, definitely, man. I agree. You know, it's not even just Cincinnati. Like you said, it's tons of teams. Temple, Memphis, UCF, man, everybody, you know, in the conference.

So it's definitely an underrated conference with a lot of talent. You know what I mean? So, yeah. I loved also Sauce Gardner when you were walking out of Lambeau Field with the cheese head on your head. That was just an awesome moment this year. Had that come about? You just seen it in the stands and you grabbed it?

Yeah, that was one of them things, man. Just going with the flow. You know, one of the Jets fans gave it to me.

So I'm guessing they probably grabbed it from a Packers fan or something like that. You know what I mean? So, man, it just, it felt mint. You know, when I put it on my head, it was just, the vibes was just crazy. You know what I mean?

I had seen somebody else, I think it was a corner from Washington, had one on. I just naturally start trends, you know? Sauce Gardner here with us on behalf of Panini.

We'll talk about Panini in just a moment. What's your favorite moment from your rookie season when you look back at it? You talking about the favorite game or favorite moment in general? Because I had a lot of moments just being able to go out there on the field. You know, week in and week out, you know, with our defense dominate, not even just defense, but the whole team. But when I step on that field with the rest of the defense, man, we click in so much, man. It's just crazy. The vibes is crazy.

I feel like it's really a movie. Like, we're giving it our all for the man next to us. So, you know, that's one of the main things.

Like, just being able to experience everything with my teammates and have a lot of great guys around me to make, you know, me feel better. Talking to Sauce Gardner, there's a lot of speculation about who's going to be playing quarterback for the Jets next year. A lot of rumors, especially with the Jets hiring Nathaniel Hackett today, that maybe a trade could get done for Aaron Rodgers. Let's just say this offseason, you get an alert on your phone that the Jets traded for Aaron Rodgers.

How would you react to that? I mean, it's Aaron Rodgers, you know. That is what it is.

That speaks for itself, you know what I mean? But my job is to focus on my job, you know, and the defense. You know, I don't really focus on what the offense got going on too much.

It's been like that all year, you know what I mean? So, I just focus on the defense. They focus on me, you know, because I'm the rookie, but I'm not a rookie anymore. But, you know, we just focus on each other on the defense and we let the offense and the coaches handle what the offense got to handle. If Rodgers hit you up and said, why should I join the Jets?

What would you say? So, we got a good defense. That's it.

I don't know. Do you think you could win a Super Bowl if you guys get Rodgers? We could win a Super Bowl whenever. You know, I feel like if it's meant for us to win a Super Bowl, it's meant for us to win a Super Bowl.

I know, like I said, I know on the defense we're going to do what we got to do. I know that Zach Wilson has been a big topic of conversation as well. I saw something last night about you playing Madden and having Mike White over Zach Wilson. What was going on there? Because everything makes a new story these days.

Man, I did not expect that to make a story. That was my first time playing Madden. Mike was in. I didn't pay any attention to who was in. You know what I mean? Mike was in. If Zach was in, I would have kept Zach in. You know what I mean?

It wasn't nothing like that. I rock with Zach. He's a great teammate, great player.

He's got a lot of talent, a lot of potential. You know what I mean? I rock with Zach. We chop it up.

We chop it up every time we see each other. He's just a great person to be around. He has a lot of knowledge. He's given me a lot of knowledge. Since I first stepped in the building, I tried to do the same thing for him when he was going through a lot of adversity. Because I know it was me. I know he had my back at all times.

It wasn't nothing like that. I wasn't thinking of the quarterbacks. Literally, I know you all think about the media, think about the quarterback, and talk about the quarterback situation way more than the players do.

Especially the defense. I just got on the game and I'm just thinking about what targets I'm going to throw to. Gary Wilson, Elijah Moore, I'm just thinking about who I'm going to throw to. That's why when I threw the touchdown to Tyler Conklin on that play, it was just great. I was just giving my praise to Tyler Conklin. I didn't even know who was that quarterback. So each and every day, and maybe this is just the nature of the beast of the offseason, you see rumors of Brady, Rodgers, Lamar, Derek Carr, Jimmy G to the Jets. You don't get all caught up in that stuff? You don't pay attention to that?

No chat. The coaches get paid. They're going to have the best person there at the quarterback. Whether it's Zach, whether it's Mike, no matter who it is, they do a good job at what they do.

I know they're going to make the best decision for the team. What do you like the most about Robert Salah? How do you look back on your first year with him as the head coach? He's from Michigan.

I'm from Detroit. We clicked as soon as we got on the phone. As soon as we seen each other, we clicked. He brings that energy. When you make a play, you look at him like he's ready to make a play. He's ready to tackle somebody. Having a coach like that, especially a defensive head coach who has the energy, who knows so much about football, especially defense, it's great.

I feel like I've always had a defensive head coach from high school to college and now the NFL. I feel like that's what I'm best at. Sauce Gardener, tell me about the work that you're doing today with Panini.

I'm up here signing some trading cards with the rest of the rookies. It's a great environment, great vibes. Everybody here with Panini is great people.

Anytime I can do something with Panini, I make sure I do it. It's great to be around them. It's great to make this happen, especially for the collectors. I'm one of them guys that try to get here early so that way I can knock all the cards out. I know there's a lot of people trying to collect the cards. I feel like it's not only on me.

I've got to do it for them as well. Who was your favorite football player growing up as a kid? Who did you look up to?

Chad Otosenko, easily. He was my guy. I was always watching him on YouTube. I used to love eating McDonald's. He loves McDonald's. I'm not saying I used to get his exact meal.

I was always one of those guys that would go to McDonald's and get a McChicken, some fries and a strawberry milkshake every single time. I used to be just like him. It's crazy. I wish I could rewind and just record it and show you. It was crazy. His celebrations were the best. They were great.

With the pylon, using it as a putter, the Hall of Fame jacket. He was an elite football player and a great entertainer. Definitely, man.

I agree. His trash talking was unmatched. He's one of them guys. He's telling you the route. He's telling you stuff to tempt you. Like, I'm working. What you doing? Little stuff like that.

I used to watch that every day and every time I seen him on the YouTube video when he was at the field. He's working what I'm doing. He's really talking to me right now. I'd get up and go put some work in.

He was very inspirational. Literally nothing. If you guys were both lined up at the 10-yard line and you have 10 reps up against Chad Ocho Cinco, how many touchdowns is he scoring up against you? I already talked about it before I got drafted.

I tried to tell him. He told me he don't play receiver no more. He's a DB. He's still a DB, man. Well, Sauce, heck of a rookie season. Once again, you can get NFL trading cards at Walmart, Target, and hobby stores nationwide.

And you can also start collecting your favorite NFL rookies as NFTs on the Panini America platform at PaniniAmerica.net. He's Sauce Gardner of the Jets. Sauce, just real quickly, any last prediction on who's starting at quarterback for the Jets this year? I gotta ask you one more time.

No, I don't have a prediction. It's all good, Sauce. Hey, appreciate the time. Good luck coming up in your number two. Thank you.

Thank you. I'm Larry Mullins, host of the podcast Your Weirdest Fears, the show that explores the odd things that make your heart stop. I am so scared of the Grinch. He is bad vibes. We talk to everyone, from therapists to exterminators to lizard man. I was 25 when I actually got my tongue split.

I have one tattoo that covers my entire body. Listen and subscribe on the Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcasts from. The listening you love is on the free Odyssey app. Your trusted local radio stations, coverage of your favorite teams, live news from your hometown, and millions of podcasts on demand. Best of all, you can completely customize your listening experience. Follow topics you care about, like leagues and teams.

Pause or rewind your local sports and news and add shows to your queue to catch up later. There's a lot to listen to. So get started and download the free Odyssey app today. The listening you love is on the free Odyssey app. Your trusted local radio stations, coverage of your favorite teams, live news from your hometown, and millions of podcasts on demand. Best of all, you can completely customize your listening experience. Follow topics you care about, like leagues and teams. Pause or rewind your local sports and news and add shows to your queue to catch up later. There's a lot to listen to. So get started and download the free Odyssey app today.