The Indianapolis Colts are in a position where they are fighting for the top seed in the AFC, but they saw one of their top players leave the game with a non-contact injury. They are looking to improve after losing to the Kansas City Chiefs last week and looking mortal, but let’s take a closer look at what happened and what it could mean.
Indianapolis Colts Lose Sauce Gardner to Noncontact Injury
The Indianapolis Colts have been one of the top defensive teams in the NFL this season, and saw cornerback Sauce Gardner leave the game with a non-contact calf injury in the first quarter. He would initially be ruled as questionable to return, but would quickly be ruled out for Week 13.
Gardner has been a two-time All-Pro cornerback and signed a contract extension for four-years, $120.4 million, setting the new-money average of $30.1 million per season. However, the New York Jets would trade him at the 2025 NFL Trade Deadline to the Indianapolis Colts in exchange for their 2026 and 2027 first-round picks as well as wide receiver A.D. Mitchell.
This move was general manager Chris Ballard being aggressive with his team and putting the chips on the table to pair Gardner with Charvarius Ward as one of the top secondaries in the sport. While we do not know the extent of Gardner’s injury, the star cornerback was seen with a walking boot, not really giving hope for his immediate return.
Suffering a non-contact injury always gives fans and the team a pause of concern, but the Indianapolis Colts are hoping it is nothing too serious and Gardner can return to the lineup next week at Jacksonville.
