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Colts, Jets Players React to Stunning Sauce Gardner Trade

Michael Pittman Jr. and Breece Hall were among the Colts and Jets players to quickly react to the Sauce Gardner trade.
Eva Geitheim|
Multiple Colts and Jets players reacted to the Sauce Gardner trade on social media.
Multiple Colts and Jets players reacted to the Sauce Gardner trade on social media. | Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

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Indianapolis ColtsNew York Jets

The Jets and Colts made the biggest move of the 2025 NFL trade deadline so far, when New York decided to trade All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Colts in exchange for two first-round picks and receiver Adonai Mitchell.

While the Jets just re-signed Gardner to a record-setting four-year extension over the summer that was meant to keep him in New York for the “foreseeable future,” the Jets couldn’t turn down the Colts’ offer and sent their star cornerback to Indianapolis.

MORE: NFL Trade Deadline Tracker

By joining the Colts, Gardner improves from the 1-7 Jets to 7-2 with Indianapolis, and surely will help the Colts emerge as true contenders this season.

Gardner, who was reportedly surprised by the move, initially posted on social media after the trade, "New York it's been real.”

Following the trade, several Colts players expressed excitement to have the All-Pro corner join the team, including veteran wideout Michael Pittman Jr.

Pittman, however, also appeared saddened that Mitchell was traded to the Jets as part of the deal.

Colts receiver Alec Pierce, who played with Gardner at in college at Cincinnati, was excited to reunite with his former college teammate.

Alec Pierce, Colts, Sauce Gardner.
Alec Pierce reacts to the Colts trading for Sauce Gardner. | Alec Pierce/IG

Meanwhile, several players on the Jets seemed less excited about the news. Defensive end Jermaine Johnson II, and running backs Breece Hall and Braelon Allen were among the players to weigh in on the trade on social media.

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Eva Geitheim
EVA GEITHEIM

Eva Geitheim is a contributor to the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. Prior to joining SI in December 2024, she wrote for Newsweek, Gymnastics Now and Dodgers Nation. A Bay Area native, she has a bachelor's in communications from UCLA. When not writing, she can be found baking or re-watching Gilmore Girls.

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