Source: Sauce Gardner / Call of Duty
Sauce Gardner keeps it all the way real. No one can see him in Call of Duty.
Nothing aligns more than sports and video games. Naturally, competitive athletes keep that energy in virtual space, taking on all challengers who dare call them out.
Hell, we did a whole gallery of athletes who will easily hand you Ls in your favorite competitive video games.
So it should come as no surprise that New York Jets Pro Bowl cornerback Sauce Garnder’s confidence off the field transfers into his video game play, specifically when playing the insanely popular first-person shooter Call of Duty.
Hip-Hop Wired spoke with Gardner, who is once again partnering with Call of Duty for its activation with the NFL Draft in Kansas City, and he didn’t hold back when talking about who is the best COD player in the league.
Source: Denise Truscello / Getty
Yep, that’s a fact. I think I’m the best COD player in the league.
Gardner’s love for Call of Duty began at a young age ranging from numerous entries in the FPS franchise. “I was always playing COD. I liked FPS games like Black Ops 1, 2 and 3, MW 3, and Ghost, he begins.
“I started back playing COD so, so long ago, when I was extremely young, because I remember I was playing on XBOX 360. I was playing when I was in elementary [school].”
The 22-year-old Detroit, Michigan native who primarily plays Warzone didn’t hold back when it was pointed out he has been racking up kills in the game (“no less than 20”)for a long time. “Yep, that’s a fact. I think I’m the best COD player in the league,” he proudly proclaimed.
Source: Sauce Gardner / Call of Duty
That’s a bold statement with many NFL athletes who probably feel the same way he does. His teammate, Garrett Wilson, also is a Call of Duty player. Speaking to us last year, Wilson wasn’t as bold as Gardner when talking about his skills, saying he was “aite,” Gardner confirmed that, adding he “ain’t on my level, but he cool.”
Source: Garrett Wilson / Call of Duty
So is there anyone even close to Gardner’s level in Call of Duty? Two players can probably compete with him, according to NFL Pro. “I would say, Ashtyn Davis, he plays safety for us,” Gardner tells HHW. “Some people told me Kyler Murray was good, but I never watched him. I know he’s playing with pro-COD players, but I play with him every time I’m on COD, and I’ll be keeping up with him or having more kills than him sometimes.
No Sports Games For Sauce Gardner
But one surprising thing we learned when speaking with Gardner is that he doesn’t play any sports games. Nine times out of ten, you will find athletes going hard on NBA 2K or Madden, but that is not the case with Sauce.
“I used to play 2K, but 2K got too easy. It got too easy, and I’m used to 2K15. That’s when I used to be competitive. But the later it was getting, the newer 2Ks are not the same,” he admits.
But one game he doesn’t play anymore, surprisingly, is Madden. “I don’t even play Madden no more, Gardner admits.
“I remember I played Justin Jefferson my third time playing Madden and Ultimate Team, I beat him, and I don’t even play Madden.”
That might be a good thing because NFL players and longtime Madden NFL video game franchise fans were ripping it on social media.
We touched on his 89 rating in Madden NFL 23, and if he felt it was accurate and as expected, he said it should be higher. “It should have at least been a 90, but that’s me. 89 is one of the things, you might as well just give me a 90.”
He continues, “We going to see this year. I don’t know how I can rate myself this year, but I can assure you that it’s going to be much better than 89.”
Of course, we had to ask Gardner about the big news about his New York Jets finally landing Aaron Rodgers and the energy around the team following his acquisition.
“It’s a lot of excitement. We a young team. It’s a lot of excitement, a lot to look forward to. Yeah, man, we just looking forward to the season,” Gardner said.
It sounds like it will be an excellent year to be a New York Jets fan.
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Photo: Call of Duty
