Sauce Gardner arrived in Indianapolis just about a month ago, as the Colts acquired him via trade from the New York Jets.
It took a lot for the Colts to get Gardner, sending the Jets wide receiver Adonai Mitchell as well as two first-round picks. Still, the Colts thought making an aggressive move to upgrade its secondary would greatly benefit the defense and overall tamas they’re one of the best teams in football.
So far, Gardner has been a great addition to the Colts’ secondary. In three games played, he’s recorded 13 tackles and has had a pair of pass break-ups. But during this past Sunday’s game against division foe Houston Texans, Gardner suffered an injury.
What Happened to Sauce Gardner?
Sauce Gardner suffered a calf strain during the first half of Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans. Covering Texans tight end Cade Stover, Gardner planted his leg awkwardly as it was pushed back, causing discomfort and pain.
Gardner left the game and did not return. Below is a video of the injury.
A closer look at #Colts CB Sauce Gardner’s non-contact ‘calf’ injury. pic.twitter.com/y4o0qb4hRg
— Noah Compton (@nerlens_) November 30, 2025
Will Sauce Gardner Play Week 14?
As of right now, it doesn’t sound like Sauce Gardner will play this Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Calf strain injuries typically take a few weeks to recover from and the injury risk from returning too soon from them is high.
The Colts are optimistic that he will not be out for more than four weeks as they chose not to place him on injured reserve. Though he hasn’t been ruled out yet, he will very likely miss Sunday’s action vs. Jacksonville. He’s considered week-to-week with his injury.
The #Colts are not expected to place Sauce Gardner on Injured Reserve, per me and @TomPelissero. A sign he can return within the four week window. https://t.co/uqNxJtJtnz
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 3, 2025
The Colts are currently in second place in the highly competitive AFC South, with the Jaguars in first place at 8-4. The third place Houston Texans sit at 7-5.
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