Is Sauce Gardner injured? Fans confused as Jets All-Pro cornerback stands on sideline during key 49ers drive

Bryan Murphy

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Is Sauce Gardner injured? Fans confused as Jets All-Pro cornerback stands on sideline during key 49ers drive image

Is Sauce Gardner injured? 

That's the burning questions Jets fans had at halftime of the "Monday Night Football" contest against the 49ers. 

New York kicks off the 2024 season with a road contest against San Francisco, the defending NFC champions. The big storyline of the game is the return of quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who makes his first start since tearing his Achilles four plays into the 2023 season just last year. 

LIVE: Updates, highlights from Jets vs. 49ers 'Monday Night Football' game

Rordgers appeared to be operating at 100-percent health through the first half. However, that can't be said about one of the stars for the Jets on the other side of the ball. The ESPN broadcast and New York fans were left confused by the brief absence of Garnder during the second quarter

Here's what to know about Gardner's status. 

MORE: 49ers RB depth chart | Aaron Rodgers stats vs. 49ers

Is Sauce Gardner injured?

It's unclear what the exact reason why Gardner missed part of the 49ers' final offensive drive of the first half. He was seen on the sidelines for nine plays before finally joining his defensive group for two snaps during the sequence. 

His brief stay on the sidelines may have had to do with a collision earlier in the quarter with 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel. Gardner struggled to get up after tackling the speeder San Francisco star, and he may have hurt his shoulder/neck. 

Gardner stayed in the game to finish the drive, which resulted in a Samuel touchdown to put the 49ers up 13-7. However, he was not out to start the next time San Francisco had possession of the ball, missing the first nine plays while Brandin Echols took his place. 

While Gardner was on the sidelines, he had his helmet in his hand. He was not attended to by the training staff at all either. 

ESPN sideline reporter Lisa Salters reported that she asked Jets PR what the issue was. The team said that his absence was not due to a medial issue. They added that there is "nothing wrong" with Gardner. 

During his absence, it allowed the 49ers to march down the field deep into Jets' territory. Gardner eventually returned with less than a minute left in the first half.  

San Francisco used the field position to hit a field goal to end the first half, extending the lead to 16-7. 

Gardner was out on the field to start the second half of the "Monday Night Football" contest. 

Sauce Gardner deletes social media post after the game

When asked about his peculiar first-half absence, Gardner shook it off, said he needed a breather and had the wind knocked out of him. He received plenty of flack on social media from Jets fans and others watching the game, accusing him of everything from being hurt to being scared of guarding Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk.

Gardner addressed these claims on X and alluded to how ridiculous they were. He said whatever happened was temporary eventually passed, but he has since deleted the post. 

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Bryan Murphy

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Bryan Murphy joined The Sporting News in 2022 as the NHL/Canada content producer. Previously he worked for NBC Sports on their national news desk reporting on breaking news for the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL, in addition to covering the 2020 and 2022 Olympic Games. A graduate of Quinnipiac University, he spent time in college as a beat reporter covering the men’s ice hockey team.