Jets fans surprised by glaring omission from 2025 team captains

The New York Jets announced their official team captains for the 2025 season on Thursday, and fans were quick to note one glaring omission from the list. Two-time All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner, arguably the team's best player, is not one of the Jets' captains.

The Jets named six captains in total — three on offense, two on defense, and one on special teams. Quarterback Justin Fields, wide receiver Garrett Wilson, and offensive lineman Alijah Vera-Tucker will represent the offense, while defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and linebacker Jamien Sherwood were chosen as defensive captains.

Backup linebacker and special-teams ace Marcelino McCrary-Ball was a surprise addition to represent the third phase of the sport, but Gardner's name was nowhere to be found.

Williams is the only returning captain from last year's roster, as the remaining captains — Aaron Rodgers, C.J. Mosley, and Thomas Morstead — are all no longer with the team.

Sauce Gardner was snubbed from the Jets' 2025 captain list

The fourth overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, Gardner was named first-team All-Pro in each of his first two seasons in the NFL and, despite a down year in 2024, has established himself as one of the league's best cornerbacks.

He was rewarded for his outstanding play with a historic four-year, $120.4 million extension this summer that made him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history. It was a well-deserved honor for a player who has said and done all the right things since arriving in Florham Park.

That's why some may have been surprised by Gardner's omission. The soon-to-be 25-year-old has never worn the captain’s patch, but with another year of experience and a new regime in place, many assumed it was a foregone conclusion.

After all, Gardner's 2022 draft-mate and fellow offseason extension recipient Garrett Wilson was named a captain. Jamien Sherwood wasn't even a full-time starter until midway through last season, and he received the nod as well.

But those who follow the Jets — and Gardner in particular — shouldn’t be too surprised. He’s always been more of a lead-by-example type than a vocal, rah-rah presence who breaks down huddles or delivers locker room speeches. That’s just never been his style.

Gardner doesn’t need a captain’s patch to validate his leadership. This is the same player who spent months repeatedly declaring his intent to be a “forever Jet” while showing up for every voluntary and mandatory practice, even as he negotiated a new contract.

As long as Gardner has no issue with the decision — and there’s been no indication he does — all is well at One Jets Drive. The six chosen captains are deserving, and as for Gardner, he'll continue to lead the same way he always has: by example.

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