In a recent appearance on The Richard Sherman Podcast, New York Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner expressed frustration over a crucial pass interference call during the Jets’ Week 7 game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The Steelers ultimately won by 22 points, but Gardner argued that his penalty, which occurred during the game’s pivotal moments, was unjustified.
“I’m looking back for the ball on a go [route]. I’m not disrupting him at all,” Gardner told Sherman. After the play, he said, “I’m like, ref, what did I do? You were pulling him. You were stopping him.’ I said, ‘I did not pull him at all. Not even a little bit.’” Gardner described his coverage as “chest to chest” with Pickens, adding, “I wasn’t even leaning on him. I looked through him, then I turned at the last minute, hit the ball, PI.”
Gardner hinted that if anyone should have been called for interference, it was Steelers wide receiver George Pickens, accusing him of consistently “pushing off” defenders. “George Pickens, he’s running around, he pushes off,” Gardner remarked.
He mentioned speaking with a referee before the game, saying:
“Ref, just know, this is going to be a physical matchup. He likes pushing off.” According to Gardner, the official agreed, responding, “We watch film too. I know he’s a huge push-off guy. We’re going to let y’all play.”
The interference penalty on Gardner, however, significantly impacted the game’s momentum. Following the penalty, Steelers quarterback Russell Wilson connected with Pickens for a touchdown, triggering a 31-point scoring run for Pittsburgh.
Despite Gardner’s claims, Pickens wasn’t called for any offensive penalties in the game, though Gardner suggested that Pickens’ reputation for pushing off is known among officials.
Interestingly, Pickens has only been called for one offensive pass interference this season, during Week 1 against the Atlanta Falcons, his only such call since his rookie year in 2022.
This, Gardner implied, may not reflect his pushing-off reputation accurately, though officials appear not to call it frequently.
