FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- New York Jets star Sauce Gardner signed his record-setting contract Tuesday and defended himself against critics who have suggested he became the NFL's highest-paid cornerback after a down season in 2024.
"I'm Sauce," Gardner said on reporting day for Jets veterans. "I mean that in the most humble way. Like no matter what I do, they're going to make a huge deal out of it. I can miss a tackle. There's a lot of people that miss tackles, but I just understand that I'm me. So people are just going to like blow things out of proportion."
Gardner said he was grateful for the new deal -- a four-year, $120.4 million extension that ties him to the Jets through 2030. The contract, agreed upon last Tuesday, moved him past the Houston Texans' Derek Stingley Jr. for the top spot on the salary chart at their position. His $30.1 million per year surpassed Stingley's $30 million.
By most statistical metrics, Gardner didn't perform as well as he did in 2022 and 2023, when he became the first cornerback to be named first-team All-Pro in each of his first two seasons.
In 2024, he was flagged for 10 penalties, more than his first two seasons combined. He finished 47th among cornerbacks in EPA (expected points added) per target (minimum 400 coverage snaps) after ranking second and 13th in his first two years, per Next Gen Stats.
Gardner doesn't agree with the notion that he was off his game. The criticism, he said, doesn't bother him.
"Nobody's a bigger critic of me than myself, you know, so it's not something that throws me off guard because even though some people could say I'm being over-hated and stuff like that, I'm already so hard on myself," he said.
Gardner, the No. 4 overall pick in 2022, credited the Jets' new regime and owner Woody Johnson with recognizing his talent despite having had only three interceptions in three years.
"It's just great that the coaching staff and Mr. Johnson all believed in me because, despite what people say, they watched the tape," he said. "I'm sure they watch every single play for my three years. That's what helped them come up with the idea that we're going to sign this guy to a long-term extension."
Gardner acknowledged that he must improve in all areas, and he's confident that will happen in the new defensive scheme, one that will put him in more man-to-man coverage than in past years. Ultra confident in his talent, he said, "I know there's a floor, but there ain't no roof. Sky's the limit."
Gardner said he was ready to agree to terms last Monday, but he decided to wait upon hearing that wide receiver Garrett Wilson had agreed to a four-year, $130 million extension. Gardner said he wanted his teammate to have the spotlight to himself, so he waited a day before agreeing to terms.
"We haven't won many games [and] I haven't had the season that I had hoped, and for them to still come in here and believe in me and say, 'Hey, we think you can be a part of the successful side of this thing for years to come,' it's awesome," said Wilson, the fifth highest-paid receiver.
The Jets are 19-32 in the Wilson-Gardner era, with a playoff drought that has reached 14 seasons -- the league's longest active slump. Wilson and Gardner said they want to be catalysts in flipping the franchise's fortunes.
"Playing meaningful football [in December and January]. That's the next step," Wilson said. "That's the only step."