He played college football at West Virginia State and Sioux Falls,[1] where he was a nominee for the Harlon Hill Trophy and was a finalist for the Cliff Harris Award.

[4] He made the Cardinals roster as an undrafted rookie, playing in all 16 games primarily on special teams.

In Week 14 of the 2019 season against the Pittsburgh Steelers, Gardeck recovered a fumble forced by teammate Darrell Daniels on punter Jordan Berry during a fake punt attempt in the 23–17 loss.

[12] In Week 2 of the 2024 NFL season, Gardeck recorded 3 sacks against the Los Angeles Rams in a 41-10 win for the Cardinals.

In Week 7 against the Los Angeles Chargers, Gardeck suffered a torn ACL, ending his season prematurely.