Sauce Gardner Appears to Call Out Jets Teammates After Blowout Loss to Bills

"Some people might be checked out."

Sauce Gardner / SNY

The New York Jets got beat down by the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, losing 40-14, and that score makes it look closer than the game actually was. Gang Green was dominated on both sides of the ball and fell behind 40-0 before the backups came in to score points in garbage time.

It was a truly disastrous effort that stands out, even in a season full of them for the Jets. After the defeat brought New York to a 4-12 record on the season, star cornerback Sauce Gardner was asked if the blowout was "embarrassing" for himself and his teammates. In response, Gardner appeared to call out his teammates and suggest some might be "checked out" because the Jets aren't making the playoffs.

"Embarrassing? I don't even know if that's the word," Gardner said to reporters. "You're telling me now it's 40-0? If you ask me that means it's the end of the season, obviously we're not going to the playoffs, some people might be checked out. That's just me going off speculation and what I'm getting at. You know what I'm saying?... We, quote un-quote, enhanced our roster in all areas. That just tells me we can't be playing as a team. We’re probably just individuals. Last year, the year before, we had a roster that wasn't as talented as this roster, and we found ways to beat the Bills. We found ways to win. What's stopping that now?”

Sauce Gardner on if today's loss was embarrassing:

"Embarrassing? I don't even know if that's the word. You're telling me now it's 40-0? If you ask me that means it's the end of the season, obviously we're not going to the playoffs, some people might be checked out." pic.twitter.com/YIfs06mx20

— Jets Videos (@snyjets) December 29, 2024

The Bills are legitimate Super Bowl contenders and will enter the postseason as the No. 2 seed. Before the year, though, many expected the Jets to be on a similar path due to the talent upgrades Gardner referenced above— and that was before Davante Adams came to town. But everything fell apart, and now the Jets are left to play for nothing but pride.

It doesn't sound like Gardner believes all his teammates are willing to play hard for that much.

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