Jets' Sauce Gardner says former teammate Mecole Hardman 'never earned his stripes'

Two-time All-Pro defensive back Sauce Gardner said he was "caught off guard" by the recent comments from his former teammate Mecole Hardman. Hardman, who started the 2023 season on the New York Jets roster, recently sparked a war of words when he publicly criticized New York’s coaching staff and the organization overall. 

Hardman suggested that the Jets culture was steeped in dysfunction in the weeks following quarterback Aaron Rodgers' season-ending injury.

"But the offense is just like, ‘We’ll just figure it out. It’s Aaron’s show. Let Aaron do what Aaron does.’ Then when Aaron goes down, it’s like we don’t know what to do," Gardner said last month during an appearance on "The Pivot" podcast. 

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Aug 12, 2022; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner (1) against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field. (Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports)

Hardman added that he was "checked out" during his brief tenure with Gang Green, saying, "It was over with. I had already talked to (Chiefs general manager Brett Veach) and Pat (Mahomes), like, ‘Come get me.’" 

Gardner made his own appearance on "The Pivot" this week and asserted that Hardman "never earned his stripes" when he was a member of the Jets. Gardner also described Hardman as "ungrateful."

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Mecole Hardman Jr. #6 of the New York Jets warms up prior to a football game at AT&T Stadium on September 17, 2023 in Arlington, Texas.  (Cooper Neill/Getty Images)

"If you really know what it takes to win," Gardner said, "you're going make sure you let the team know. ... The reason he couldn't do that is because he never earned his stripes. He came to the facility and thought he had it made for him.

"If you know what it takes to win, you're not going to go to practice and drop hella punts and then have excuses as to why you're dropping them. You're not going to go into a special teams meeting and get cussed out by the special teams coordinator. There's just certain things that are not going to happen if you truly know what it takes to win."

Some other Jets players took issue with Hardman's remarks on the podcast and took to social media to fire back at the wide receiver.

Hardman spent the first four years of his career with the Kansas City Chiefs. He signed with the Jets in 2023. His impact during his five games with the Jets was minimal. He finished his stint in New York with just one reception for three yards. The Jets traded him back to the Chiefs in October.

Mecole Hardman Jr. #12 of the Kansas City Chiefs celebrates after catching the game-winning touchdown in overtime to defeat the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 during Super Bowl LVIII at Allegiant Stadium on February 11, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)

Although Gardner was not happy that Hardman decided to criticize the Jets organization, he did acknowledge that he was happy that Hardman found success once he landed back in Kansas City.

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"You can't really discredit the Jets, especially him individually," he said. "They sent you back to a contender team. They sent you back to the Chiefs, and you won the Super Bowl. I feel like that's ungrateful. I feel like he shouldn't have gone on there, talking about the Jets, because he could've just taken the high road. You just won the Super Bowl, and you had the game-winning catch."

Hardman is slated to formally enter the free agent market on Wednesday. While Hardman has ruled out a reunion with the Jets, his future in Kansas City remains unclear.

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