As 2023 free agency wrapped up, the Detroit Lions landed what looked like a bargain. C.J. Gardner-Johnson had tied for the NFL lead with six interceptions the prior season with the Eagles, and he seemed like a great mix of talent and attitude to energize the Detroit secondary.
But not everything goes according to plan, and sometimes there’s no blame to place. Gardner-Johnson tore a pectoral muscle and missed much of 2023, appearing in just six games including the postseason.
It soon became obvious the Lions wouldn’t re-sign Gardner-Johnson in 2024, and he eventually inked a three-year deal to return to Philadelphia. So it seemed all parties moved on, right?
Not exactly. After rejoining the Eagles, Gardner-Johnson used social media to take shots at Lions fans and many of his former Detroit teammates.
Gardner-Johnson had a strong year back in Philadelphia, grabbing six interceptions and ranking as a top-15 safety by Pro Football Focus. The Eagles also returned to the Super Bowl, beating the Chiefs in a Super Bowl LVII rematch.
During Super Bowl week, prompted by Detroit Free Press reporter Dave Birkett, Gardner-Johnson didn’t hold back when asked about his Lions stint.
“It was hell,” Gardner-Johnson told Birkett. “I got lied to, so it was, whatever. I was told, respectfully, I’d be brought back and didn’t get brought back. Then the offseason got real, signing back here, but I wasn’t tripping. It all worked out.”
“Truthfully, like in Detroit it was hell,” he said again. “I went there just to — when I got hurt I was like, ‘(Expletive) it.’ That’s why I didn’t rehab there.”
“I was on a one-year deal, so unless they were really bringing me back, it made no sense to rehab there,” Gardner-Johnson added. “By mid season when I got healthy and they didn’t want to extend me, I was like, ‘I’m cool.’”
Gardner-Johnson wanted a contract extension while rehabbing a major injury, and he stayed away from team facilities when that didn’t happen. No team would offer an extension in that spot, but that didn’t register with him.
And even while celebrating another Super Bowl trip, Gardner-Johnson seemed unable to let things go.
This offseason, just one year into his new deal, the Eagles unexpectedly traded Gardner-Johnson to the Houston Texans. The return — guard Kenyon Green and a pick swap — was widely seen as underwhelming.
Gardner-Johnson has voiced his displeasure over the trade, calling it “shocking” and “highly disrespectful.” But clearly, the Eagles didn’t view him as a long-term asset for several possible reasons.
On Tuesday’s episode of The Pivot podcast, co-host Ryan Clark asked why he was no longer in Philly.
“Scared of a competitor,” Gardner-Johnson answered. “Simple as that.”
Pressed to elaborate, he added, “You can’t program a dawg.”
Gardner-Johnson said his Week 16 ejection versus Washington might’ve triggered his exit, feeling coaches didn’t back him. He also claimed he was unfairly blamed for a playoff practice fight.
“We had a little scrum in practice,” he said. “Just offense vs. defense, but I was blamed. I guess because I was competing. You say it’s a live period, we’re prepping for the playoffs, and now I’m wrong for competing?”
His comments about the Eagles mirror those he made about the Lions. And if Houston parts ways after one season, expect his scorched Earth world tour to continue next year.
