Ahead of their matchup with the Atlanta Falcons in Berlin, Germany, the Indianapolis Colts shocked the NFL world by trading two first-rounders and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell to the New York Jets for All-Pro-level cornerback, Sauce Gardner.
Gardner played well en route to Indy taking an overtime victory over the Falcons, but that was without fellow star cornerback Charvarius Ward on the field.
However, after being on injured reserve for a concussion, Ward is eligible to return against the Kansas City Chiefs. When asked about the possibility of playing with Ward, Gardner showed excitement.
“Charvarius (Ward Sr.), he’s been a dog since he was in San Fran, since he was in Kansas City. So, I’m looking forward to just going out there together and putting on a clinic. But from afar, watching him, he’s always been that guy.
We’ve been chopping it up a lot, talking ball, talking life in general. He’s a great dude for sure. Great person to be around, his work ethic and film study routine, everything that he does – it’s pretty good. So, I’m looking forward to him getting back out there for sure.”
Sep 7, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Miami Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill (10) runs against Indianapolis Colts cornerback Charvarius Ward (7) during the second half at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images / Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
Gardner and Ward are each worthy of being called ‘lockdown’ cornerbacks, and there are few NFL squads that can boast having two legitimate CB1s, but Indy can the moment Ward returns.
Gardner and Ward have each put up incredible careers. Below are the accolades for each defender through their respective NFL tenures.
Sauce Gardner (Four Years)
Charvarius Ward (Eight Years)
Sauce Gardner on playing with Charvarius Ward:
“He’s been a dog… I’m looking forward to just going out there together and putting on a clinic. From afar, watching him, he’s always been that guy.” pic.twitter.com/b8o2ZBrsww
— SleeperColts (@SleeperColts) November 17, 2025
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Indianapolis Colts cornerback Sauce Gardner runs through drills on Thursday, November 6, 2025. / Clark Wade/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
If Ward can return against the Chiefs and get paired with Gardner, it will make life quite difficult on quarterback Patrick Mahomes and head coach Andy Reid.
The Chiefs have been uncharacteristically ‘off’ offensively, generally operating at the highest level. Instead, Mahomes and Co. have fallen behind their typical rhythm.
Colts’ defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo had success against Mahomes, calling the shots for the stop troops with the Cincinnati Bengals, so giving him a duo like Gardner and Ward will help that cause.
Gardner brings a solid 2025 into this game. Through eight games, Gardner has tallied 26 tackles, seven pass breakups, and Pro Football Focus marks of 72.4 overall and 83.0 in run defense.
As for Ward, he’s only played four games, but has been fantastic for Indy during that span. Ward has 13 tackles, three pass breakups, and PFF marks of 83.4 overall and 83.0 in coverage.
Oct 5, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Indianapolis Colts cornerback Charvarius Ward (7) attempts to bring down Las Vegas Raiders Albert Okwuegbunam Jr. (86) during a game at Lucas Oil Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Christine Tannous-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images / Christine Tannous-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images
If Ward returns against the Chiefs, it gives Anarumo a brutal trifecta to utilize against Reid’s offensive cause. Ward, Gardner, and Kenny Moore II would occupy the outside corner spots, as well as the slot.
This type of cornerback trio can remove the top three pass-catchers on any given snap, for any given team, and it would put the most pressure on Mahomes to find his receivers.
Gardner’s excitement to play with Ward is exactly how the Colts’ fanbase feels, and it gives Indianapolis the best possible chance to slow down Mahomes, who can be the best QB on any given gameday.
If the Colts can secure a victory on the road at Arrowhead on Sunday, it plummets the Chiefs to 5-6 and out of the playoff hunt, which has been unheard of in the Mahomes-Reid era.
They should nickname the Sauce Gardner, Kenny Moore II, and Charvarius Ward trio “I-465” because it’s always shut down
— Barstool Indy (@barstoolindy) November 5, 2025Recommended Articles