Colts’ Sauce Gardner ruled out after suffering non-contact calf injury during loss against Texans

Indianapolis Colts cornerback Sauce Gardner was ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans after suffering a non-contact injury to his left calf on Houston’s second offensive snap; the Colts went on to lose the game against Houston, 20-16.

The Pro Bowl defender went down while in coverage away from the play and stayed on the turf as trainers evaluated him. He was eventually helped off the field, unable to put weight on the leg, and taken to the locker room following a brief check in the medical tent. Gardner was later spotted on the sideline in a walking boot and was officially ruled out for the remainder of the game.

Early indications suggest the injury may be a calf strain. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, “Colts CB Sauce Gardner is believed to have suffered a calf strain, per sources. Those can be tricky injuries and he’ll have more tests. But Gardner’s Achilles appears intact, so there’s optimism he avoided a major injury.” Gardner will undergo additional tests to confirm the diagnosis.

The injury comes in Gardner’s third appearance for Indianapolis since being acquired from the New York Jets on Nov. 4 in a blockbuster deal involving two first-round picks and receiver Adonai Mitchell. The former No. 4 overall pick and two-time first-team All-Pro had recorded 13 tackles in his first two outings with the Colts, bringing his season total to 33.

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