C. J. Gardner-Johnson Eyes Early Exit From the NFL, Plans to Stream Full-Time Within Four Years

The offseason is still in its early stages for the Philadelphia Eagles, but one familiar name has already re-entered the conversation. Former fan favorite C. J. Gardner-Johnson recently indicated he would be open to a return to Philadelphia, while also revealing that his long-term future might not include a lengthy NFL career.

Gardner-Johnson first arrived in the NFL with the New Orleans Saints, signing a four-year rookie contract worth about $3.3 million after being selected in the 2019 draft. His aggressive playstyle and ability to create turnovers quickly made him a key contributor in the secondary.

After his rookie deal, Gardner-Johnson joined the Detroit Lions on a one-year contract worth $8 million in 2023. The following year, he secured the biggest deal of his career, returning to the Philadelphia Eagles on a three-year contract worth up to $33 million. Philadelphia moved on last offseason, and Gardner-Johnson eventually spent time with both the Houston Texans and the Chicago Bears. Across those deals, the defensive back has already earned well over $30 million during his NFL career.

So it’s not surprising that Gardner-Johnson is already thinking about life beyond football.

“Win the Super Bowl, make some money, and I’m out. I’m tryna be free and stream my life,” he said during his latest stream when discussing his future. Gardner-Johnson appears to be thinking ahead to life after the NFL, particularly in the growing world of streaming and online content. For now, however, his next football destination remains unresolved.

With the Bears, he flashed at times but never quite delivered the major impact Chicago hoped for. In ten appearances, including seven starts, he recorded 51 tackles, five quarterback hits, five tackles for loss, four pass breakups, three sacks, two interceptions, and a forced fumble. Much of that time came while playing cornerback rather than his more natural safety role.

His Pro Football Focus grade of 51.6 ranked near the bottom among qualifying defensive backs, which could make the Bears hesitant to invest further. Financially, Chicago may not have much of a choice anyway.

The team is currently projected to be over the salary cap, meaning several veterans could become cap casualties as the organization looks to reshape the roster and retain key contributors like Kevin Byard. With younger players such as Kyler Gordon and Jaylon Johnson already in place, Gardner-Johnson may find himself looking for another opportunity elsewhere.

That situation could open the door for another reunion in Philadelphia, depending on how free agency unfolds. The coming weeks will bring major developments across the league as the NFL Scouting Combine kicks off and teams begin finalizing their plans for free agency. The Eagles, still responding to a disappointing playoff exit against the San Francisco 49ers, are expected to explore aggressive ways to improve the roster. Gardner-Johnson, meanwhile, needs to figure out where he’s planning to be for his next four projected playing years.