Aaron Rodgers tells Sauce Gardner he’ll be in Pro Football Hall of Fame one day
The first episode of "Hard Knocks" with the 2023 Jets premiered Tuesday night and the cameras captured a touching moment between Aaron Rodgers and Sauce Gardner.
Prior to the team’s Hall of Fame game against the Cleveland Browns last week, the cameras captured Gardner speaking with Jets legend and new Hall of Famer Darrelle Revis. Although he didn’t get to see a championship while with the Jets, Revis believes that Rodgers and this team can do so, and he made sure that they knew it.
Revis and Rodgers first exchanged pleasantries with the corner telling the future Hall of Fame quarterback to take this team “all the way.” He then made his way to the 2022 Defensive Rookie of the Year to reiterate the same sentiments.
“Like I just told A-Rod. Take them all the way baby,” Revis told the young corner. “Take them all the way.”
The "Hard Knocks" crew then cut away to Rodgers and Gardner standing on the field during the pre-game festivities. The 22-year-old started chatting up Rodgers saying that this game and weekend has been a cool experience.
“You’ll be here one day,” Rodgers told Gardner, referring to the Football Hall of Fame.
“That’s the plan,” Gardner answered. “That’s what I think about. My mom always tells me to stay a kid as long as I could. And it’s like if I’m really going to do this, I’m gonna be older. I’ve got aspirations of playing in the league for 40 years. … I’m trying to be a 40-year-old.”
Of course, Gardner said that as a joke to his nearly 40-year-old quarterback but Rodgers may be onto something with Gardner.
After going No. 4 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft, the University of Cincinnati product won the Defensive Rookie of the Year honors as well as being named to his first Pro Bowl. He was also chosen to be an All-Pro.
Gardner, who started in all 17 games in 2022, logged 75 tackles, and played in 98 percent of defensive snaps for the Jets. The cornerback led the NFL with 20 passes defended and he hauled in two interceptions in his rookie season.
If Gardner wants to make his way into Canton he’ll need to have a lot more seasons like he did in his rookie campaign, but he’s well on his way. Revis never won Defensive Rookie of the Year, but Gardner will have to rack up more All-Pros and Pro Bowls along the way to get a resume similar to the Jets legend.
But hey, if Rodgers -- who has seen players both Hall of Fame worthy and not -- believes Gardner can make it, it's hard to argue against him.
