Until someone has a suggestion you might want to read through the link below. It would help to know where this plant is --in Texas? what part? or some place else?

Personally I wouldn't cut it back. I'd plant it in ground and just take off the dead leaves. If the plant lives it will grow new ones. If some of the stems put out new leaves, and others not, then cut off the ones that didn't.
Don't fertilize with bloom busters at this point. The plant needs to recover and put out good roots before it even thinks about blooming. Its under too much stress for that.

The only gardenia I've grown was in a pot for a few years, then put in the ground in dappled shade.. only got a few moments of early morning sun. It lived but did not turn into the glorious bushes you see pictures of. Perhaps with more sun it would have.. or maybe not.. you'll understand once you read the link. :)

Here is a link that might be useful: So you want to grow a gardenia, huh?

Gardinia has broken many a Texas heart.

You might slip it out of the container and examine the root system. More than two years without repotting is pushing the envelope for most plants requiring excellent drainage, because the potting soil becomes compacted. I suspect you will find substantial root rot.

Well, this has been enlightening to say the lease Melvalena!
If nothing else, your link was a joy with my morning coffee!
Whitecap, your right, root rot is the culprit.
I did cut some of it back, and will NOT put it where I was going to, it would have gotten full sun from noon on. I'm looking for a better place in the back yard where full sun does not occur.
Thanks so much for the info, and the laughs. I'm gonna give it a go. Off to Home Depot, gonna see if I can recreate their magic touch! LOL!

When I saw that link, I wondered if it fell into the 'helpful' category. Hilarious, yes. Glad you did learn from it. I read it now and then, just for entertainment.

Oh, I should have said, I have a 22 to 23 year old bush that must have just landed in the right spot for the variety. It's totally carefree and has weathered tropical storms, winter snow, drought and Round-up on the wind.
I didn't know there was more than one kind when I bought it. I'm not even sure I knew they were fragrant. It gets strong morning sun, only. I bought two of them and the other one went in, not twelve feet away, in the same exposure. It promptly died. Maybe it was too close to the house. The house was pretty new then, and maybe there was too much lime from the concrete of the foundation, making the soil too alkaline.
I got the idea that there are some re-blooming varieties. I'd sure like to try one of those. Do I dare press my luck?