Jets star Sauce Gardner escalates public spat with 2x Patriots Super Bowl champion: "You remind me of my ex"
New York Jets star Sauce Gardner proved in his rookie season that he was one of the best cornerbacks in the NFL. He is on a trajectory that will put him in a conversation among the greatest in his positions, which includes former New England Patriots CB Asante Samuel Sr., who spent 11 seasons in the league.
Both crossed paths on X (formerly Twitter) as Samuel felt that Houston Texans cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. should have been on the first-team All-Pro and compared his stats with Gardner's. The Jets young star hit back at the four-time Pro Bowler and wrote:
"You remind me of my ex. Could never accept the fact that it was over😂 You woke up tweeting about me before you brushed your teeth. that's a finable offense lmaoo."
For the second straight season, Sauce Gardner was voted first-team All-Pro at the position. Among fellow cornerbacks, Stingley was eighth in the All-Pro voting. Gardner was taken fourth overall by the New York Jets in the 2022 NFL draft, while Stingley went to the Houston Texans the pick before.
There is no love loss between Sauce Gardner and Asante Samuel, as their beef started last July. ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler conducted a poll of coaches, scouts and executives who ranked Gardner as the second-best cornerback in the league. This did not sit well with the two-time Super Bowl winner.
"The New York media will take your career to another level," Samuel posted on X.
There is no real explanation for why Samuel has seemingly gone after the 2022 AP Defensive Rookie of the Year. His son, Asante Samuel Jr., was taken in the second round of the 2021 draft by the Los Angeles Chargers.
Comparing Sauce Gardner to Derek Stingley Jr. this season
Gardner played in 16 games this season for the Jets, getting 57 total tackles with 11 passes defended and one forced fumble. Stingley Jr. played 11 games for the Texans and had 39 tackles, 13 passes defended and five interceptions. At a close look, it seems Asante Samuel Sr. does have a good point.
However, other stats suggest Sauce Gardner over Derek Stingley was the right call in the All-Pro voting.
According to Michael Nania of Jets X Factor, Gardner was fourth in yards per target (4.9) and seventh in yards allowed per reception (8.7) this season. As for Stingley, he was 105th in yards per target (9.3) and 118th in yards allowed per reception (17.2). These numbers are based on cornerbacks targeted at least 30 times.