Sauce Gardner is having the time of his life! The cornerback just inked a four-year, $120.4 million extension deal with the New York Jets. That became a record – signed, sealed, and set right there for his position. As a result, Gardner now finds himself in the position of a long-term centerpiece under the new defensive coordinator, Aaron Glenn. But as Gardner begins this next chapter of his NFL journey, he isn’t doing it alone. The Jets’ cornerback has been spending his offseason with his girlfriend, Ice Spice. The Bronx-born rapper has appeared by his side at several major events, but this time, the player has talked about her in public.

Recently, the pair was spotted together by fans in Lake George. They were sitting in a car, looking every bit the “hot couple” that some fans have called them. So, are they dating? Perhaps, yes! The pair has kept things fairly private, giving the fans just enough to keep the rumors swirling. Recently, a moment from an interview reignited discussion about the duo. And it revealed more than Gardner likely intended.

During his latest press interview following the announcement of his deal extension, Sauce Gardner had a lot of things to talk about. He appeared focused, grounded, and fully engaged. But that was until a reporter threw him a curveball. Right at the end of the interview, Sauce Gardner faced a very personal question. The cornerback was asked how Ice Spice reacted to his massive extension deal with the Jets.  For once, the confident cornerback fumbled. “Uh… she just said congrats,” he responded, stammering slightly and taken aback. 

The rare moment of hesitation immediately caught fans’ attention. His brief pause and subtle blushing led many to believe he might be a little more smitten than he lets on. Is the Jets star in love? Looks like it. Shortly after, Gardner reacted to the viral clip on social media that recorded his reply to the question. He quoted it in his now-deleted tweet with the caption, “unexpected last question😭😭”. His comment confirmed what many already sensed.

Gardner was surprised, not necessarily uncomfortable, by the personal question. Ah, the blush and smile said it all. The duo had made their very private relationship somewhat public back in April when Ice Spice hard-launched their relationship on Instagram. Her photo dump included a cozy mirror washroom selfie with Gardner, both dressed down in sweats, giving fans an unfiltered look into their private life. Ice Spice did not caption the post, but it said enough. 

For months, the pair has attended events together, commented on each other’s posts, and randomly appeared in the background of each other’s stories. They even appeared on the kiss cam at a celebrity sporting event. But did they kiss? Of course not. They cheekily refused, looking here and there to avoid any fuss.

Moreover, while Gardner may have stumbled over the personal question, there’s little doubt that Ice Spice is part of his life. Even if he’s not ready to talk about it in detail, that said, the same uncertainty did not follow Gardner into the business side of things. When it came to negotiating his contract with the Jets, one might stop and wonder: Was the cornerback this hesitant? Believe it or not, Gardner has opened up about how he just got it done.

How did Sauce Gardner get his huge extension deal with the Jets?

July dropped serious fireworks in New York, and it was not just on the 4th of July. Within 48 hours, the Jets locked up their two biggest stars – wide receiver Garrett Wilson and cornerback Sauce Gardner. It was Wilson who first made a huge four-year, $130 million deal. As the news of Wilson’s deal spread, Gardner immediately called Wilson to congratulate him. Later that same day, the Jets sent Gardner the formal offer he would end up signing. But instead of jumping at it, Gardner told his agents to wait a day. He wanted to make sure Wilson had his day. 

While Gardner did not take any of the spotlight away from Wilson, his patience paid off. The very next day, the Jets GM Darren Mougey officially announced: “We are pleased to agree on a contract extension with Sauce that will keep him with the Jets for the foreseeable future.” With this declaration, the Jets made their mindset known. In Gardner, the Jets see someone who will lead the team’s defense into the playoffs. To earn that level of confidence from the team management is already an achievement.

According to Gardner, Aaron Glenn had made it known that Gardner was central to his plans. A former Pro Bowl cornerback himself, Glenn pushed to get Gardner’s extension done before training camp. Jets owner Woody Johnson and Darren Mougey also stood behind the deal. “They watched the tape. Every play over my three years, that’s how they knew I was worth this. That belief means everything to me”, Gardner said. He has participated in voluntary workouts in the offseason and expressed his desire to be a Jet for the long term. So, his $120 million extension deal was naturally a no-brainer for the Jets.

However, Sauce Gardner is not one to dwell on what he’s already achieved. “It’s a blessing, but it’s only the beginning. There’s a floor, but there ain’t no roof. The sky’s the limit for me.”, said Gardner. His offseason has been anything but quiet. Still, Sauce is ready for the spotlight as he steps onto the field again to prove his value.