Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner is one of the top cornerbacks in the NFL. After being acquired by the Indianapolis Colts ahead of the NFL Trade Deadline, he was expected to be an integral piece of the defense to help bolster their case as legitimate playoff contenders.
Unfortunately for the Colts, both Gardner and quarterback Daniel Jones have since suffered injuries, leaving the Colts on the outside looking in in the postseason picture with three games to go. While Jones has been ruled out for the season, the Colts received a positive update regarding their 25-year-old cornerback.
Sauce Gardner Will Return This Season
Gardner left the Colts’ week 13 game against the Houston Texans with a calf injury and has not played since then. While there was fear initially that he had suffered a devastating injury due to the non-contact nature, he avoided anything significant.
#Colts HC Shane Steichen, asked if CB Sauce Gardner (calf) will play again this season:
“Yes.”
— James Boyd (@RomeovilleKid) December 20, 2025
Colts head coach Shane Steichen told reporters Saturday that their superstar cornerback will return before the end of the 2025 season.
However, while the Colts received more positive news on Gardner’s status for the 2025 season on Saturday, his exact return timeline remains unclear. The fourth-year cornerback has already been ruled out for Week 16 and will shift his focus to trying to make it back in Week 17 when the Colts host the Jacksonville Jaguars in a crucial AFC South divisional clash.
The Colts sit in third place in the AFC South with an 8-6 record and will need to string together some wins to secure a postseason spot. Indianapolis’ defense needs Gardner back as soon as possible, as they currently rank in the middle of the pack, at No. 17, in PFSN’s defense impact metrics (DEFi).
Gardner was acquired by the Colts shortly before the trade deadline, in exchange for Adonai Mitchell and two first-round picks, in a blockbuster trade with the New York Jets. The superstar cornerback had just signed a four-year, $120.4 million extension with the Jets before the start of the 2025 season and now figures to anchor the Colts’ secondary for years to come.
In 10 games for both the Jets and the Colts, Gardner has registered 33 tackles (26 solo, seven assists) and eight pass deflections while being tasked with guarding the opposition’s top wide receiver.
Gardner’s status will be worth monitoring as the season progresses. Indianapolis will hope to get Gardner back sooner rather than later, in the hopes that the team will still be in playoff contention when he returns. In the meantime, Philip Rivers and the Colts will shift their focus to a matchup with the San Francisco 49ers at home on Monday Night Football in Week 16.
