Sauce Gardner delayed signing his Jets deal for a surprising reason

Sauce Gardner and Garrett Wilson both inked massive contract extensions last week, as the two former Rookies of the Year in New York will now be under team control through at least the 2030 season.

But as Gardner revealed to reporters on Tuesday, he actually received his contract the same day as Wilson — he just chose not to sign it initially. No, it wasn't because there was a last-second holdup in the finer details of the deal.

Gardner insisted that he simply wanted Wilson to have his moment. He didn’t want to take away any of the spotlight from his teammate’s historic day. Gardner would sign his own historic extension, one that made him the highest-paid cornerback in NFL history, the next day.

The Jets locked up two franchise cornerstone players last week, sure, but they also secured two leaders who genuinely root for each other's success. Two leaders who have made it clear that they want to be a part of the change in Florham Park.

Fans couldn’t ask for much more. And as for Gardner’s reason for waiting to sign, he shared the story with a smile when speaking to reporters at the start of training camp.

Sauce Gardner shares wholesome reason for delaying his Jets contract signing

Both Gardner and Wilson have more than earned their paydays. The duo has emerged as not only two of the Jets’ most productive players, but also two of the NFL’s brightest young stars since entering the league in 2022.

Wilson became just the fifth wide receiver in NFL history to record 80+ receptions and 1,000+ receiving yards in each of his first three seasons, and he did it while catching passes from eight different quarterbacks. He's an all-world talent and a tremendous locker-room leader.

Gardner, meanwhile, is already on a Hall of Fame trajectory. He’s one of only three defensive players in NFL history to be named first-team All-Pro in each of his first two seasons, joining Lawrence Taylor and Micah Parsons. Even in what some dubbed a “down year” in 2024, Gardner still allowed the fewest catches of any qualified cornerback in the league.

It’s hard to argue these two aren’t worth the investment. Both deals kick in after the 2026 season, keeping Gardner and Wilson under team control for the next six years.

They’re elite talents at premium positions and pillars of everything the Jets are trying to build. Moments like the one Gardner shared today only reinforce that.

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