A calf injury kept Colts cornerback Sauce Gardner out for most of the seven-game losing streak that ended the 2025 season, so his appearance on Wednesday’s injury report with another calf injury brought back some bad memories.
Gardner was hurt early in the second half of last Sunday’s loss to the Titans and he missed practice on Wednesday, but he tried to offer some reassurance while speaking to reporters. Gardner said the injury is in a different location and is “much smaller” than the previous one.
“I am doesn’t really bother” Gardner said, via the team’s website. “I trust our coaching staff here, and like I said, it’s not as bad as last year. I’m glad it’s not the same place.”
Gardner missing practice days after firing general manager Chris Ballard and moving two first-round picks in a cornerback trade has come up often as people point out Ballard’s mistakes. The deal will look worse if the Colts finish at the bottom of the league, and that’s a more likely outcome if Gardner is forced off the field for a significant amount of time.