New York Jets Star Cornerback Leaves Game with Apparent Injury

The New York Jets may be without one of their top defensive backs for the rest of Sunday’s game in London.

Sep 19, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner (1) warms up before a game against the New England Patriots at MetLife Stadium. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner left Sunday’s game in London with an apparent injury after he collided with a teammate during the third quarter.

Gardner collided with a teammate, Quincy Williams, on the play. He spent a few moments on the ground, got up under his own power and went to the blue medical tent. After a short exam, Jets trainers took him to the locker room for further examination.

At the time, the Jets were down 17-7 and Gardner was not having his best game. He was called for three different penalties in the first half.

Going into the game the Jets were without offensive tackle Morgan Moses and linebacker C.J. Mosley, both of which are dealing with knee and toe injuries, respectively.

The Jets selected Gardner No. 4 overall in 2022 after a standout career with the Bearcats, during which he was a three-time all-American Athletic Conference first-team selection and earned consensus All-America honors in 2021, the same season Cincinnati became the first group of five conference champion to make it to the College Football Playoff.

He’s lived up to the selection. He’s already been selected first-team All-Pro and to the Pro Bowl twice.

In his rookie year he started all 17 games and was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. He ended the season with 75 tackles (51 solo), with two interceptions and 20 passes defensed, the last of which led the league.

He was the first rookie cornerback to be named first-team All-Pro since Hall-of-Famer Ronnie Lott in 1981.

Last season he started 16 games and finished with 57 tackles (41 solo) with 11 passes defended and a forced fumble.