Jets' Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson sweep NFL Rookie of the Year honors
Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner, left, and wide receiver Garrett Wilson.
PHOENIX — The Jets swept the top rookie awards at NFL Honors on Thursday night.
Cornerback Sauce Gardner was named AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and wide receiver Garrett Wilson was voted Offensive Rookie of the Year.
They became the third set of teammates to win both rookie awards. The Lions’ Mel Farr and Lem Barney won in 1967 and the Saints’ Alvin Kamara and Marshon Lattimore won in 2017.
“This means everything,” Wilson said. “This is something that no one can ever take from me. I put in a lot of work to end up in this point, and to see it come to fruition is awesome. Also to hear Sauce’s name come shortly after is special. No one can take this from us, no one can take this from the organization, from the fans. It’s special for sure.”
Gardner received 46 of 50 first-place votes and beat out Seattle cornerback Tariq Woolen and Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson to become the fifth Jet to win Defensive Rookie of the Year. Tackle Sheldon Richardson (2013), linebacker Jonathan Vilma (2004), defensive end Hugh Douglas (1995) and safety Erik McMillan (1988) were the others.
Wilson is the first Jet to win Offensive Rookie of the Year. The other finalists were Seattle running back Kenneth Walker and 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy. Wilson received 18 first-place votes, one fewer than Walker, but got 10 more second-place votes than Walker.
Gardner, the No. 4 pick out of Cincinnati, has racked up honors. He was voted to the Pro Bowl and named first-team All-Pro.
Before the season, he said those two achievements and winning Defensive Rookie of the Year were his goals.
Mission accomplished.
“It’s a true blessing,” Gardner said. “I had those three goals in mind. I didn’t let nothing get in my way to stop me from achieving them.”
Gardner started all 17 games, led the NFL with 20 passes defensed — the most by a rookie since 2015 — and had two interceptions and 75 tackles.
Wilson, the 10th overall pick from Ohio State, became the Jets’ No. 1 receiver during a record-setting season.
He had four TDs and established the Jets’ rookie records for catches (83) and receiving yards (1,103). He was the first Jet to lead NFL rookies in both since Wesley Walker in 1977. Wilson also was the first Jet to reach 1,000 receiving yards since Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker in 2015.
“It wasn’t really a thought that crossed my mind,” Wilson said of being named top offensive rookie. “I figured if we’re playing good ball, it would happen and I’d be in a good spot.”
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
