FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- New York Jets star Sauce Gardner, the NFL's highest-paid cornerback, will have an added responsibility this season.
Traveling man.
In the Jets' 34-32 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, Gardner followed wide receiver DK Metcalf just about everywhere. In fact, he lined up across from him on 30 of 34 pass plays, according to Next Gen Stats. For Gardner, this was a career first, the kind of assignment he always wanted.
"My job was to just eliminate No. 4 when I was on him," said Gardner, who recorded two pass break-ups and held Metcalf to one catch for 11 yards. "I feel like I strapped him. But we have to win."
Coach Aaron Glenn said Monday that Gardner was "outstanding" against Metcalf, adding that it won't be the last time he allows the two-time All-Pro to travel with the opponents' top receiver.
This is particularly noteworthy, considering they will face some of the league's best wideouts in the coming weeks -- Mike Evans, Tyreek Hill, CeeDee Lamb and Ja'Marr Chase in the first eight weeks.
"We're going to ask him to do that on a number of occasions," Glenn said of Gardner. "It depends on the matchup, for the most part."
In recent years, it was a burning question among fans and media: Why not let Gardner cover the opponents' best receiver, the way the Jets did with Darrelle Revis, circa 2009?
The previous coach, Robert Saleh, used a zone-based system and believed it worked better when the cornerbacks were assigned to one side, not a specific player. They were a top-four defense from 2022 to 2024 in yards allowed, so something was working.
Glenn and his staff have a different philosophy. Gardner, who received a four-year, $120.4 million extension before training camp, is all for it.
"I liked it," he said Sunday. "I'm a competitor. The coaching staff is full of guys that played in the league, so it's no surprise."
With a small smile, Gardner added, "I feel like any time I was on [Metcalf], he knew what it is."
Glenn, who played cornerback for 15 years, said there were several times in his career when he traveled with the top wideout. Also on the staff are assistant secondary coach Dre' Bly, a former corner, and passing-game coordinator Chris Harris, a former safety.
"It makes it really easy for the defender because you could really study and hone in on that guy that you're going against, and I know that's exactly what Sauce did," Glenn said. "There's going to be some games where we want him to be able to do that, and there's going to be some games we're going to say, 'Play right and left.'
"I thought Sauce did an outstanding job challenging DK. He's a tough cover, I'll tell you that because there's a lot of other things that go into that matchup as far as the run game also being a part of it. I think you saw Sauce do a really good job as far as his fit against the run, too."
Metcalf's only catch on Gardner was a big one -- an 11-yarder with under three minutes to play that set up Chris Boswell's game-winning field goal from 60 yards. It was a flukey catch, though. Metcalf (four receptions for 83 yards) caught a deflection while lying on the ground.
Still, Gardner bemoaned the outcome.
"I was pissed," he said. "When you're a competitor and you've got a job to travel with somebody, you don't want them to catch the ball at all. It just so happens that was his only catch and that was the catch that got them close to field goal range. I didn't like it. I didn't like it at all."