Sauce Gardner Will Wear No. 1 Colts Jersey After Trade from Jets at NFL Deadline

Sauce Gardner isn't changing his number despite experiencing a change of scenery.

The Indianapolis Colts confirmed that Gardner will continue wearing the No. 1 jersey after the team acquired the star cornerback in a blockbuster trade with the New York Jets on Tuesday.

New York received two first-round draft picks and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell from Indianapolis in exchange for Gardner.

The two-time Pro Bowl corner wore No. 1 during his tenure with the Jets as well as his college days at Cincinnati.

After the Jets selected Gardner with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft, he wore No. 20 throughout their rookie minicamp before paying former teammate D.J. Reed $50,000 for the No. 1 jersey.

"When I got the nickname 'Sauce,' I had number 1," Gardner explained at the time, per ESPN's Rich Cimini. "It's the little things. I feel like it best fits me."

Colts wide receiver Josh Downs was worn the No. 1 jersey in his first three seasons with the team, but will switch to wearing No. 2 following the acquisition of Gardner.

Indianapolis is clearly focused on capitalizing on its early success in 2025, currently holding the No. 1 spot in the AFC standings after opening the year with a 7-2 record.

Gardner immediately broke out with the Jets in his first season, earning Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. He remained sharp during his second year before taking a slight step back in 2024.

This season, Gardner has recorded 20 tackles and six passes defended in seven games.