Full Breakdown
Sauce Gardner Sets the Record Straight on His Age
6/19/2026, 5:09:56 AM
The Age Clarification at Colts Minicamp
During the Indianapolis Colts’ final offseason practice, cornerback Sauce Gardner told reporters he was born on August 31, 2001, making him 24 years old. He emphasized the surprise of being asked about his age and confirmed that all official paperwork, including his driver’s license, reflects the 2001 birth year.
How the Misinformation Spread
Numerous high-profile sources—ESPN, Pro Football Reference, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Pro Football Focus, and the video-game Madden NFL—have listed Gardner’s birthday as August 31, 2000, which would indicate an age of 25. The Colts’ own website and NFL.com have consistently shown the 2001 date. Gardner suggested the error likely originated from sites copying data “straight from Google” without verification.
Key Figures and Organizations
- Sauce Gardner – Cornerback, Indianapolis Colts.
- Indianapolis Colts – Team organization; spokesperson confirmed the correct birth year has been used in team materials since the 2022 trade.
- Media outlets – ESPN, Pro Football Reference, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Pro Football Focus, Madden NFL, which propagated the incorrect date.
- NFL.com – League-maintained player profiles that list the correct 2001 birth year.
Data & Statistics on the Discrepancy
- Incorrect listings: Birth year 2000 -> age 25 (appears on ESPN, Pro Football Reference, The Athletic, Yahoo Sports, Pro Football Focus, Madden NFL).
- Correct listings: Birth year 2001 -> age 24 (appears on Colts.com, NFL.com, official documents).
- Performance metrics (2025 season): 54 % completion rate allowed, 7.3 yards per catch, three pass break-ups.
- Physical profile: 6 ft 3 in tall.
- Contract details: Four-year extension worth $120.4 million signed July 2025.
Official Statements & Responses
Gardner reiterated that his age is 24 and that his identification documents all state 2001. He described the repeated questioning as “crazy.” A Colts spokesperson confirmed the team has listed his correct birthday since acquiring him in a trade that sent two first-round picks and receiver Adonai Mitchell to the New York Jets. NFL.com’s player profile also reflects the 2001 birth year.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The primary conflict lies between widely used statistical databases, which continue to show a 2000 birth year, and the team and league sources that list 2001. No public explanation has been offered by the databases regarding the origin of the error, and there is no indication that the discrepancy has affected contractual or eligibility matters.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I’m 24,” — Sauce Gardner, Colts cornerback
- “It’s crazy that I’m even being asked this.” — Sauce Gardner
- “Yes! You can ask my mom!” — Sauce Gardner
- “It’s wrong in Madden, too? That’s crazy because I never checked,” — Sauce Gardner
- “When it comes to the paperwork and everything I've signed, it all says '01,” — Sauce Gardner
What’s Next
Gardner is set to begin his first full season with Indianapolis after a calf injury limited his 2025 appearances. Defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo is expected to rely on Gardner as a central piece of the Colts’ secondary moving forward.
