Two plays into the Indianapolis Colts’ first defensive drive against the Houston Texans, the AFC South leaders lost one of their newest defensive stars.
The Colts have ruled out cornerback Sauce Gardner for the rest of their Week 13 divisional game. Gardner appeared to get hurt while taking on a block from Texans tight end Cade Stover on his second play of the game.
CBS cameras caught Gardner heading back to the Colts’ locker room with team trainers. He appeared almost completely unable to put weight on his left foot.
Indianapolis acquired the two-time All-Pro in a trade with the New York Jets ahead of the trade deadline, sending two first-round picks and receiver Adonai Mitchell to New York as part of the deal.
Sauce Gardner injury update
The Colts have ruled out Gardner for the remainder of their Week 13 game with a calf injury.
NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero reported later in the game that Gardner’s injury is believed to be a calf strain, as his Achilles appears to be intact from early testing. The cornerback will undergo more tests in the coming hours and days to confirm he avoided a major injury.
Gardner sustained the injury at some point during his second snap on defense against the Texans. The two-time All-Pro cornerback was taking on a block from Stover, one of Houston’s tight ends, when he pulled up with a leg injury and walked gingerly off of the field.
CBS cameras later showed Gardner exiting to the locker room with a couple of Colts athletic trainers. The cornerback appeared unable to put any weight on his left foot.
Gardner had not missed any time in his first four weeks with his second team, but he’ll miss almost all of Week 13’s divisional game.
Colts CB depth chart
Sauce Gardner (questionable – calf)
Charvarius Ward
Kenny Moore II
Mekhi Blackmon
Jaylon Jones
Chris Lammons
Johnathan Edwards (out)
Justin Walley (IR – ACL)
The Colts traded two first-round picks and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell to the Jets for Gardner ahead of the NFL trade deadline in early November. Gardner recorded at least six tackles and exactly one pass defense in each of his first two games with Indianapolis before exiting Week 13’s game early.
Indianapolis started the season with Xavien Howard after his one-year hiatus in 2024, but he retired after starting the first four games of the season.
This story has been updated.