After a spectacular start to his NFL career, Sauce Gardner saw his form dip slightly last year. The New York Jets’ new coaching staff wants to get him back to his best.

Sauce Gardner took the NFL by storm. In his very first season in 2022, the New York Jets cornerback became one of the best players at his position and was subsequently voted Defensive Rookie of the Year.

He also played more than solidly in 2023, even if the statistics couldn’t match those of his first season. But last year, the pass defender’s individual performances also declined slightly.

This was undoubtedly due in part to the chaotic circumstances at the Jets. Head coach Robert Saleh, who was primarily responsible for the defense, was fired during the season. After his dismissal, the previously stable unit completely collapsed, including Gardner himself.

A new regime is now in place for the Gang Green, with defensive expert Aaron Glenn once again taking charge as head coach. Defensive coordinator Steve Wilks also brings a wealth of expertise to the table.

Message to Gardner: Only the maximum counts

And both made it clear that they expect better performances from Gardner than he has shown recently. “He’s very talented, and I told him, ‘Sometimes your greatest strength is your greatest weakness,’” Wilks said.

What does he mean by that? Gardner is so good that he too often settles for less than his performance limit. “He’s a guy who sometimes, at 85 percent, is still better than everyone else around him. I told him, ‘Compete against yourself.’ He needs to get better at that, and he will,” Wilks believes.

Glenn, who expects Gardner to show greater leadership, takes a similar view. “I’ve talked to him about who he needs to be,” Glenn said. He wants his star player to take on more responsibility through his actions, not necessarily through his words.

“How do you act in the huddle and with the players in the locker room? That says more than praise. He understands that, because for me, influence is what leadership is all about,“ emphasized Glenn, who was previously defensive coordinator for the Detroit Lions, where he learned under Dan Campbell how mentality and leadership can change a franchise.

Gardner on pressure from coaches: ”Exactly what I need”

Gardner himself seems to have got the message. “I know I’m not perfect, but the fact that he’s trying to get perfection out of me is exactly what I need. Because I’ve had a lot of early success in the league,” Gardner said of Glenn.

Although he is not the type to be complacent, he said it is “great to have these kinds of people who demand a lot from me and push me in a way I’ve never been pushed before,” the 24-year-old clarified.

Incidentally, he didn’t think his performances in 2024 were that bad, saying instead that things had gone “pretty smoothly.” “It’s never as bad as people make it out to be,” Gardner said.