Sauce Gardner celebrated the Jets’ surprising win over the Packers on Sunday by donning a cheesehead, only to have it knocked off by Green Bay’s Allen Lazard.
GREEN BAY, Wis. — The surprising New York Jets enjoyed their 27-10 win over the Green Bay Packers so much that they decided to partake in a couple of local traditions on Sunday. They took a Lambeau Leap and celebrated the upset by donning a cheesehead, much to the chagrin of a Packers player.
It was rookie cornerback Sauce Gardner who wore the cheesehead, a gift from an ecstatic Jets fan in the crowd. As he strutted off the field and to the tunnel — the wrong tunnel, as it turned out — Gardner was caught from behind, so to speak, by Allen Lazard. The Packers’ wide receiver knocked his block (of cheese) off, creating a moment that went viral on social media.
« I’m definitely never going to forget this moment, » Gardner said, laughing at his locker. « It’s a tribute to the Jets fans. They put in on my head, the Jets fans. I just had to take it and run with it. »
Lazard took it well, complimenting Gardner on his game, his nickname (« Sauce, that’s a cool name ») and insisting he wasn’t bothered by the rookie’s gesture.
« It’s just a little competitive spirit, » Lazard said. « Nothing too harmful in that aspect or anything. I’m sure he probably would’ve done the same thing if I was wearing a Jets hat or helmet walking off their field, so that’s just the competitiveness in me. No disrespect to him. »
The corny moment capped another convincing victory for the Jets, who turned a 3-3 halftime score into a one-sided second half.
