Sauce Gardner is one of the key faces of the New York Jets organization. And as one of the franchise players, he wants to look good in his team's uniform.
But for the past two seasons — his first in the NFL since the Jets took him No. 4 overall in 2022 — Gardner hasn't liked the look and feel of the team's uniforms. So when the Jets unveiled their new jerseys for the 2024 season, Gardner couldn't help but get excited.
The All-Pro cornerback told the "Green Light with Chris Long" podcast this week that the new jerseys, which are actually the Jets' Week 1 throwback uniforms from this past season, are "10 times better" than the old ones. And his reasons had a lot to do with how his No. 1 jersey looked the past two years compared to now.
"The No. 1 last year, the way it looked on a jersey was just like a stick of butter," Gardner said. "But now you can actually see the actual No. 1 ... Just the way the pattern, the two stripes on each shoulder, everything just looks nice about it. The helmets, of course, the new logo is fire, the white face mask. I love everything about the new ones.”
They're here and they're beautiful. pic.twitter.com/XAS3YBbTHU
— New York Jets (@nyjets) April 15, 2024
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The new uniforms are a rendition of the team's original colorways in the late 1970s to 1980s. The Jets wore these uniforms twice in 2023 but will wear them as their primary look now, five years after switching to a different jersey style.
The Jets hope this new look will inspire a new future for the organization. New York went 7-10 a year ago after it lost Aaron Rodgers in Week 1 — in these jerseys, no less — but will have their veteran quarterback back in 2024. General manager Joe Douglas upgraded several positions across the roster, including four new offensive linemen and two new wide receivers.
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Gardner, meanwhile, is one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL on one of the league's best defenses. He's already made two Pro Bowls and two All-Pro teams in his first two years as a professional.
