There aren’t many players in the NFL who are more outspoken than defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson. Many of his quotes have made headlines over the years. And his on-field altercation with Javon Wims back in 2020 was one of the strangest you’ll see. He’s the type of guy you hate to play against but love to have on your team… or do you?
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Gardner-Johnson is changing teams for the fifth straight year, which might be some sort of record for a player of his caliber. Despite helping the Eagles win their second championship in 2024 during his second stint with the team—he led them with six interceptions, third-most in the league—he was traded in March. The deal sent him and a sixth-round pick to the Houston Texans in exchange for guard Kenyon Green and a fifth-rounder.
Both times Gardner-Johnson was in Philly, the Eagles made it to the Super Bowl. Yet both times, he left right after the season. On a recent guest spot on The Pivot podcast, hosted by three former NFLers, including Ryan Clark, Gardner-Johnson talked about how he believes he was sent to Houston because of incidents that occurred in practice last year.
“We had a little scrum at practice. Nothing, just offense vs. defense, but who’s the culprit of it? Me, I guess, because we’re competing,” the safety recalled.
“Well, you tell me the period is live. You’re telling us not to compete during a live period, but it’s a live period, and we’re getting ready for a playoff game? Scared of a competitor. Simple as that… You can’t program a dawg.”
Gardner-Johnson also talked about how he and running back Saquon Barkley would get into it at practice, though they never got into a scuffle. It was all in good fun, according to the DB. Just trash talk.
At one point during minicamp, the offense ran an empty set, and Gardner-Johnson knows it’s a draw for QB Jalen Hurts, so he runs right down the middle. And while he didn’t touch him (you can’t touch/hit the QB at practice, which is why they generally wear a different colored jersey, often red), he got very close. He jokingly said it was a warning to Barkley as well.
“Head coach Nick [Sirianni] goes empty, and I know what’s coming. The Jalen Hurts QB draw. I run straight down the middle … I didn’t even hit him but I got [close]. Drill over, defense won, whatever. I got cussed out so bad. I got close to Jalen to warn Saquon, like ‘This could happen to you on 4th and 1.’ “
While C.J. Gardner-Johnson believes incidents like that contributed to his ouster from the City of Brotherly Love, it all sounds like playful banter in the end. Perhaps we will never know the real reason he was traded despite playing great for the Eagles in both 2022 and 2024.
At least he got a ring out of it either way.
