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Ahmad Gardner has established himself as a top-tier NFL cornerback, achieving multiple accolades early in his professional career.
Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner partnered with Buffalo Wild Wings to launch his signature 'Sauce Sauce,' a sweet and spicy barbecue sauce. This collaboration capitalized on his well-known nickname and extended his brand into the food industry, with the partnership solidifying before his rookie NFL season.
Sauce Gardner was named the newest brand ambassador for Q Collar, a company producing a neck collar designed to help protect athletes from brain injury by increasing jugular pressure slightly to reduce brain movement inside the skull.
VaynerSports represents Ahmad 'Sauce' Gardner, handling various aspects of his career, including brand partnerships and on-field worldwide representation.
Ahmad Gardner was born on August 31, 2000, in Detroit, Michigan. He attended Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School, where he excelled in both wide receiver and cornerback positions. A three-star recruit, Gardner committed to playing college football at Cincinnati, where he quickly made an impact. In his true freshman season in 2019, he recorded 31 tackles and three interceptions, two of which were returned for touchdowns, earning him a spot on the American Athletic Conference first-team. He maintained a strong performance throughout his college career, culminating in his junior year (2021) with consensus All-American honors and being named the AAC Defensive Player of the Year. This pivotal season helped Cincinnati become the first Group of Five team to reach the College Football Playoff.
Gardner’s exceptional college performance led to him being a highly anticipated prospect in the 2022 NFL draft. He was selected fourth overall by the New York Jets, making him the highest-drafted cornerback in the team’s history. In his rookie year, 2022, Gardner started all 17 games, registering 75 combined tackles, two interceptions, and leading the league with 20 passes defensed. His outstanding debut season earned him the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year award and first-team All-Pro honors, a distinction not achieved by a rookie cornerback since 1981.
He continued his impressive trajectory in 2023, earning Pro Bowl honors and being selected as first-team All-Pro for the second consecutive season, making him only the third defensive player and the sole cornerback in NFL history to achieve this recognition in their first two seasons. In 2024, he maintained his role as a starting cornerback for the Jets, recording 49 combined tackles, one interception for a touchdown, and a sack across 15 games before being placed on injured reserve. In July 2025, Gardner signed a four-year, $120.4 million contract extension with the Jets, solidifying his long-term commitment to the team.
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