New York Jets star Sauce Gardner has been sued for falsely claiming a Buffalo Bills fan had an OnlyFans page during an online spat.
Gardner, 24, was named in a lawsuit filed by Kalli Mariakis in Morris County, New Jersey Superior Court last month, Us Weekly confirms.
The lawsuit stems from an August 2024 interaction via X, where the NFL star posted a picture of an empty room and wrote, “Do I even have to say what I’m getting built at my new house?”
In response, Mariakis — who calls herself a member of “#BillsMafia” in her bio on X — responded, “A simulator to teach you how not to commit pass interference or defensive holding.“
The next day, Gardner responded, “I’m sure your husband wouldn’t like it if I told him you’d [direct messaged] me your OF link, would he?” (“OF” is widely known as an abbreviation for OnlyFans, a platform for adult content creators.)
Mariakis responded to the Jets player, “Why don’t you send the link then? He’s waiting! I would love to know what it is myself! Nice comeback @iamSauceGardner but what a shame it’s a big fat lie!“
In the lawsuit, Mariakis denied ever having an OnlyFans page, calling Gardner’s post “knowingly false and malicious.” Mariakis also said her husband and daughter have been subjected to “harassment and disparagement.“
A glance at Mariakis’ Instagram page shows many of her posts flooded with comments about the Gardner incident. “Where’s the OF link,” one person wrote in the comments section of a July 2024 photo of Mariakis and her husband.
On a photo of a reclining sofa Mariakis was attempting to sell in September 2024, another user commented, “sauce gardner owns u.”
The 15-page lawsuit also named Barstool Sports, founded by Dave Portnoy, as a defendant.
After Mariakis’ exchange with Gardner went viral, Barstool posted an article with the headline: “If You’re a Married OnlyFans Model Who’s Been DMing Sauce Gardner, You’d Be Wise Not to Troll Him About His Coverage Skill.“
The lawsuit argued the article was “not only false and misleading, it was intentionally based upon a falsehood, whose truth would have defeated its central message: ‘Don’t mess with Sauce Gardner on or off the field.’”
Us Weekly has reached out to representatives for Gardner and Barstool Sports.
Mariakis is seeking compensatory and punitive damages.
Gardner was selected 4th overall by the Jets in the 2022 NFL Draft. In May 2022, he signed a four-year contract worth $38.7 million guaranteed.
