FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- The New York Jets' expectations for Sauce Gardner are reminiscent of the Permian High mantra from the old "Friday Night Lights" movie:
Be perfect.
When new defensive coordinator Steve Wilks met Gardner for the first time at the beginning of the offseason, he challenged the star cornerback to raise his game to a new level. Perhaps he noticed some slippage last season after a historic start to his career. Or maybe he was just pushing buttons, which coaches do even with their best players.
Whatever the reason, his message connected.
"I know I'm not perfect, but the fact that he's trying to get perfection out of me is what I need because, you know, I've had a lot of success, early success in the league," Gardner said. "And the last thing I need is a new regime to come in here and just allow me to be complacent.
"I'm not saying that's who I am, but it's great to just have those type of guys that are going to demand a lot out of me and just push me in ways that I've never been pushed before."
Gardner began his career with the speed of a Formula 1 car, exploding into stardom.
DRAFTED FOURTH OVERALL in 2022, he was named NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and first-team All-Pro. In 2023, he became the first cornerback since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970 to be named first-team All-Pro in each of his first two seasons. Only two other defensive players have accomplished that: New York Giants legend Lawrence Taylor and Dallas Cowboys pass rusher Micah Parsons.
With a big game and an elite nickname, Gardner landed a huge endorsement deal with a restaurant chain that specializes in Buffalo wings and a wide variety of sauces. Naturally, Sauce had his own custom sauce. He became one of the Jets' most popular non-quarterbacks in recent memory, all by the age of 23.
Then came last season -- an awful year for the Jets (5-12) and an off year for Gardner, who finished 47th out of 52 corners in EPA (Expected Points Added)/per target as the nearest defender (minimum: 400 coverage snaps), according to Next Gen Stats.
It was a big drop from his first two seasons -- second out of 49 corners in 2022, 13th out of 47 in 2023. He also had more accepted penalties last season (nine) than he did in his first two seasons combined (seven).
Gardner disagrees with the notion that 2024 was subpar, calling it a "pretty smooth" season for him. He said, "It's never as bad as people try to paint it to be," noting that social media tends to focus on the negative.
In a way, he's right. He was so good as a rookie that he drew comparisons to Pro Football Hall of Famer and former Jets star Darrelle Revis, raising expectations to an obscenely high level. Now when there's a hiccup -- a penalty or a pass completed against him -- the reaction among fans is, "What's wrong with Sauce?"
Life in Gotham can be difficult for star athletes. Nevertheless, the Jets want to keep him around for a long time. They're in the process of negotiating a contract extension for Gardner, who could become the league's highest-paid player at his position.
"His standard is so high because he's such a just a different player than everybody else on the field," nickel back Michael Carter II said.
Wilks called Gardner one of the best at his position, but he wants more consistency. He wants him to be "dominant" on a week-to-week basis, maximizing his length (6-foot-3), long arms (33½ inches) and speed (4.41 seconds in the 40-yard dash).
"He's very gifted, and I told him, 'Sometimes your greatest strength is your greatest weakness,'" Wilks said. "He's a guy that sometimes at 85%, he's still better than everybody around him. So his thing is -- and I told him, 'compete against yourself.' That's where he has to get better, which he will."
GARDNER DOESN'T HAVE far to go if he wants advice on how to play the position. The Jets' new coach, Aaron Glenn, played corner for 15 years, making three Pro Bowls. Assistant defensive backs coach Dre' Bly made two Pro Bowls in 11 years, finishing with an impressive 43 interceptions.
One of Gardner's goals is to intercept more passes; he has only three in 48 games. Despite an uptick in man-to-man coverage last season, the Jets were predominantly a zone-based defense under the previous coaching staff. In zone coverage, a defensive back has eyes on the quarterback, which should create more opportunities to make plays on the ball.
They're expected to be a man-heavy team this season, considering Glenn's reputation as a pressure-minded coach. It's harder to make interceptions when your back is turned to the quarterback, but Gardner, with his unusual size for a corner, could be a disruptive force at the line of scrimmage in press coverage.
"I always thank them every single day because they put me in a position to make plays," said Gardner, who seems happy with the scheme change.
Another goal, he said, is to become more of a team leader in Year 4. He's had long conversations with Glenn about leadership. Glenn wants leadership to be authentic. He doesn't want players to be vocal if that's not their personality; it comes across as phony.
"Here's what I've talked to him about, about who he needs to be," Glenn said. "When you do lead, just let your influence do all the talking. How do you operate in the huddle and with the players in the locker room? That speaks more than the rah-rah guy. He understands that because influence, to me, is really what leadership is about."
Gardner has said that he wants to be known as the best cornerback ever before he finishes his career. That would be a perfect ending.