Why The Jets Are Making Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner Earn His Nickname

It's obvious that the New York Jets think highly of cornerback Ahmad Gardner seeing as how they drafted him fourth overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. That doesn't mean they're going to give him superstar treatment, however, which is why they're making him earn his well-known nickname 'Sauce.'

The Jets aren't disregarding his nickname out of disrespect, instead, they're using the situation to motivate him. It's not the coaching staff or management who implemented the no-nickname strategy, either, it's his fellow teammates.

"He’s Ahmad until the season starts and he makes a play," linebacker C.J. Mosley said. "Ahmad it is."

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While friends and family have called him 'Sauce' since he was six years old, it wasn't until he managed a pick-six as a freshman at Cincinnati when coaches and teammates started using the nickname.

While Mosley isn't quite ready to start calling him 'Sauce' just yet, he's been impressed with the rookie.

“Ahmad has some sauce to him, that’s for sure," Mosley explained. "On the field, he’s working all the time. He’s on the sideline asking questions. Off the field, he’s very confident, as well. He’s a very smart player, and you respect that a lot. He doesn’t try to act like he knows everything. He listens and tries to do the right thing."