Sauce Gardner, the New York Jets cornerback, was noticeably absent from the team‘s Wednesday practice, sparking worries about his calf injury. As the Jets prepare for the upcoming season, concern mounts over Gardner’s health due to this recent setback and the potential for it to develop into a more serious Achilles issue.
Jets head coach Aaron Glenn confirmed Gardner would not participate in practice due to calf soreness, and the team is continuing to assess the situation. <a href="https://www.buzzineintl.com/category/football/nfl/”>NFL insider Adam Schefter reported,
“Jets CB Sauce Gardner was held out practice today due to calf soreness and HC Aaron Glenn said the team still is evaluating the injury.”
This news quickly prompted alarm among fans, many of whom fear that a calf injury may lead to complications involving the Achilles tendon, a common concern in sports injuries. One spectator warned, “Incoming Achilles injury,” while another observed,
“Just worry now with calf stuff about the Achilles. They just seem to go hand in hand now. Hopefully not.”
Additional supporters emphasized the importance of giving Gardner ample time to recover before returning to play. Comments included,
“Rest him until no soreness … calf leads to Achilles,”
and another fan urged the team to be cautious:
“Need to keep him out till regular season. Everytime someone has a calf injury lately they end up tearing their Achilles if they come back too soon.”
Many fans advocated for Gardner to miss the entirety of the preseason, prioritizing his health over immediate game time. One stressed,
“I better not see him on the field again until the Steelers game,”
while another expressed optimism, saying,
“Nothing that taking the rest of the preseason off won’t fix.”
Gardner appeared in 15 games during last season, accumulating 49 tackles, one sack, and one interception. The Jets struggled through a difficult 5-12 campaign, leading to organizational changes such as the hiring of Aaron Glenn as head coach and the departure of quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Gardner looks ahead to facing Aaron Rodgers in Week 1 showdown
With Aaron Rodgers signing a one-year contract with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Week 1 game between Gardner’s Jets and Rodgers’ Steelers has attracted considerable attention. Gardner expressed excitement and respect for his former teammate ahead of the anticipated matchup.
“Man, it’s gonna be crazy,” Gardner said. “There’s gonna be a lot of emotions in that game. You know, he’s phenomenal, I don’t care what people say about him. He’s a phenomenal person…” —Sauce Gardner, Jets cornerback
Gardner added that intense offseason preparation has elevated his play, and he expects Rodgers to face a much-improved opponent on the field this season.
The Jets are monitoring Gardner’s calf injury carefully, understanding the importance of ensuring he returns fully healthy. How the situation unfolds will be critical for both Gardner’s career trajectory and the Jets’ defensive strength as the regular season approaches.