Colts’ Sauce Gardner Avoids Achilles Tear, Diagnosed With Mild Calf Strain After Texans Game

Indianapolis Colts star cornerback Sauce Gardner woke up on December 1 with relief — and a clear reminder of how thin the margin is for an AFC contender in a crowded playoff race. One day after crumpling to the turf on a non-contact play against the Houston Texans and leaving Lucas Oil Stadium in a walking boot, further evaluation confirmed what the Colts consider relatively positive news: a mild calf strain, not the feared Achilles tear.

Gardner went down on Houston’s second offensive snap Sunday, grabbing at his lower left leg while in coverage away from the ball. Trainers helped him off as he avoided putting weight on the leg, and he was quickly ruled out of the 20–16 loss, raising alarm for a franchise that paid heavily to acquire him at the trade deadline. Initial sideline concern centered on a possible Achilles rupture, but imaging and early exams instead pointed to a strain in the upper calf.

According to multiple reports, including NFL Network and Yahoo Sports, Gardner will undergo additional testing, but the working expectation inside Indianapolis is that he will miss time measured in weeks rather than months. Team and league sources have characterized the injury as “mild,” with optimism that he can return before the postseason if rehab goes as planned. Some early estimates suggest an absence of a few weeks, though the Colts are waiting on full imaging and a second opinion before setting a firm timeline.

The timing is particularly brutal for Indianapolis. Gardner has played only three games in a Colts uniform since arriving in a blockbuster deal with the New York Jets on November 4, a move that cost Indianapolis two first-round picks and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell. The All-Pro corner had already piled up 33 total tackles on the season, including 13 in his first two outings with the Colts, and was central to a defensive overhaul aimed at tightening coverage on the perimeter.

In the short term, defensive coordinator Gus Bradley will be forced to lean heavily on depth. Players like Mekhi Blackmon and Jaylon Jones are expected to see expanded roles opposite veteran Charvarius Ward, with scheme adjustments likely as Indianapolis prepares for a daunting stretch that includes Jacksonville, Seattle, and San Francisco. While losing Gardner for any amount of time is a blow, the Colts are publicly framing Monday’s news as a narrow escape — a crucial star is sidelined, but their season, and Gardner’s, remains very much alive.