The New York Jets shocked the NFL world on trade deadline day when they moved their star cornerback, Sauce Gardner, out of the Big Apple.
Gardner, the Jets’ former first-round pick in 2022, was traded to this year’s surprise contender, the Indianapolis Colts, in exchange for two first-round picks in consecutive seasons (2026 and 2027) and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell.
The trade not only shocked fans and the media around the NFL, but Gardner as well, who finally revealed his initial reaction to the shocking move.
Sauce Gardner Shares Initial Reaction Following Trade to Colts
Colts insider Joel A. Erickson shared the star cornerback’s reaction to the blockbuster trade on X, noting that when Gardner received a call from Jets general manager Darren Mougey, he immediately sensed a trade was coming. Gardner admitted that his first thought was, “Please let me go to an ideal situation.”
After answering the call and learning where he was headed, it was clear that Gardner had gotten his wish as he prepared to swap out his green apparel for blue and make his way to Indianapolis.
Sauce Gardner says when he saw the call from Jets GM Darren Mougey, his first thought was: “Please let me go to an ideal situation”
— Joel A. Erickson (@JoelAErickson) November 6, 2025
Gardner has been a star in this league ever since he was drafted fourth overall in 2022. The cornerback from Cincinnati, currently in his fourth year in the league, is a two-time All-Pro, a two-time Pro Bowler, and a former defensive rookie of the year. The awards strongly reflect how the rest of the league perceives Gardner on the field. The Colts are getting a bonified star.
There is a significant contrast between the two teams, as Gardner transitions from being the lone defensive standout on the 1-7 Jets to joining a loaded secondary room, a group that has played a crucial role in the Colts’ surprising 7-2 record. Could his play elevate even further in a winning football culture? It wouldn’t be surprising to see, and it’s undoubtedly what Colts fans are hoping for.
It is no secret that Daniel Jones, Jonathan Taylor, and the rest of this Colts offense have been the driving motor behind the Colts’ success, but a solid defensive unit has just gotten that much better with the addition of Gardner.
According to PFSN’s Defense Impact metrics, the Colts hold a grade of C (75.0), which ranks 15th in the NFL.
Gardner himself grades out very well among cornerbacks in the NFL. PFSN’s CB impact metrics give Gardner a grade of B (83.6), ranking him 23rd in the league. Gardner will more than likely have even stronger numbers if teams even dared to throw the ball his way.
Now, with the Colts’ secondary posing threats all across the field, teams will have no choice but to throw the ball Gardner’s way on occasion, meaning he could get his defensive statistics even higher as the season goes on.
The Colts have looked elite in nearly every game up to this point in the season, and now, following general manager Chris Ballard’s ambition, which has landed him a star cornerback, it’s far from a wild statement to say the Colts are Super Bowl contenders. A sentence not many expected to hear coming into the 2025 season, but that’s football for you.
The only person happier than Ballard at acquiring a star on the only side of the field that could really use an improvement is Gardner himself, who indeed lands in an ideal situation with the Super Bowl hopeful Colts.
