National

Sauce Gardner taunts Packers in Green Bay with cheesehead, promptly has it smacked off

Sauce Gardner had himself a day on Sunday.

The Jets cornerback locked down Packers receivers in the secondary as the New York defense anchored a 27-10 win at Lambeau Field. After the game, he chose disrespect.

The first-round rookie found a cheesehead, then sported the iconic symbol of Packers fandom while celebrating with some Jets fans in the stands. When he walked to the tunnel, Packers receiver Allen Lazard knocked it off his head.

Lazard just so happened to be on the receiving end of Gardner's defensive prowess earlier Sunday. Gardner knocked away an Aaron Rodgers pass to Lazard late in Green Bay's failed comeback effort.

But it turns out that there were no hard feelings. Lazard told NFL Network's Tom Pelissero that Gardner played a good game and that he appreciate's Gardner's style.

"It's a cool name too," Lazard said. "Sauce. I can't even be mad."

Gardner's not shy. This is the same man who wore a jewel-encrusted bottle of hot sauce to the NFL draft in April before the Jets selected him with the No. 4 pick.

Through six games, he's lived up to the hype — and his bold style. He's developed into one of the league's brightest young stars as New York's defense has been a force amid a 4-2 start. Expect plenty more from Sauce on and off the field.