Sauce Gardner calls out Matt Nagy as ‘Enemy Number One’

Sauce Gardner discusses who they are most looking forward to challenging in 2023 during an interview with Jason and Travis Kelce on the New Heights Podcast

On this week’s episode of the hit podcast New Heights, Travis and Jason Kelce had a special guest: 2022 Defensive Rookie of the Year Ahmad “Sauce” Gardner of the New York Jets. Gardner and the Kelce brothers covered many topics, including his signature sauce at Buffalo Wild Wings and the potential to play alongside quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Still, there was one topic that would make Chiefs fans raise an eyebrow.

While talking about the success Sauce had in the 2022 season by winning the Defensive Rookie of the Year, Travis Kelce brought the conversation to a close by telling Gardner to go for the Defensive Player of the Year award, but Sauce had other plans, and said, “I might have to go get MVP.”

This got the attention of Travis and Jason Kelce because a defensive back has never won the league’s Most Valuable Player award. The Kelce brothers then asked if the quarterbacks were the enemy number one when it came to the award because they always win the prestigious award, no matter who the other candidates are. In fact, since 2013, every league MVP has been at the quarterback position, including 2022 League MVP Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

Offensive Coordinators are the problem

At first, Sauce agreed with the statement saying, “Why are they going to try me like that?” alluding to the fact quarterbacks are not willing to throw his way, so he is making a significant impact on the game. After this, Sauce took a hard left turn and said, “The real enemy, number one, is the offensive coordinators.” Then, Sauce went into detail, stating the offensive coordinators are the ones he has to beat because they scheme the wide receivers to exploit flaws in the defense.

Being the entertaining host he is looking for drama, Jason Kelce asked, “Do you have a coordinator on your list that you are looking to show what you got?” Sauce gave a big smile and looked at Travis Kelce, and said, “Who is your OC, Trav?” This got the attention of Travis Kelce, but he replied with a grin and said, “The only name on that list should be Andy Reid; he is the best to do it.” At this point, Sauce confirmed his target for 2023 and that it would be the offensive coordinator of the Chiefs, Matt Nagy, by doubling down and saying, “Yeah, he is number one on the list.”

Chiefs vs. Jets 2023

Luckily for Gardner, he will not have to wait long to put his money where his mouth is. The schedule for the regular season in 2023 is not yet known, but opponents and locations have been released. The Chiefs will travel to take on the New York Jets, which is shaping to be one of the most anticipated games of the upcoming season with the potential clash of the last two league MVPs, Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers.

With Matt Nagy returning to the fold as offensive coordinator, Gardner will have his hands full when he lines up against the Chiefs in the upcoming contest. Nagy came to the Chiefs with Andy Reid in 2013, where he served as the quarterback’s coach until 2016 when he was promoted to offensive coordinator before leaving for the head coaching job in Chicago.

Nagy will inherit the keys to a Ferrari regarding offensive power going into 2023. But as Travis Kelce stated in his reply to Gardner calling out the offensive coordinator, the Kansas City Chiefs have the most significant advantage regarding offensive schemes: Big Red, Andy Reid.

This was all probably good fun for the podcast, but Sauce Gardner made it clear who he most looks forward to playing in 2023. It is safe to say Chiefs fans will pay special attention to the offense and how Gardner can compete against one of the most dynamic offenses in the NFL led by Showtime himself, Patrick Mahomes.

What do you think? Was this a stunt to increase followers for the New Heights podcast? Or is Matt Nagy and the Kansas City Chiefs offensive leasing a room in Sauce Gardner’s mind? Let me know in the comments below.