Jets first-round rookie cornerback Sauce Gardner wore the No. 1 jersey in college at Cincinnati, and he wanted to wear it with the Jets as well. That was lucky for teammate D.J. Reed.
A month before Gardner was drafted, Reed signed a free agent contract with the Jets and chose the No. 1 jersey, even though he hadn’t worn it for his two previous teams, with the 49ers and Seahawks. That gave Reed first dibs on No. 1.
Today, Gardner confirmed that he will wear No. 1, and that he paid Reed $50,000 for the privilege.
That’s a lot of money, but Gardner got a four-year, $33 million fully guaranteed contract as the fourth overall pick in the draft, so he can certainly afford it.
