It seems CJ Gardner-Johnson is having a hard time letting go of the fact that he was traded by the Philadelphia Eagles. Or, maybe it’s the other way around for the Eagles’ fan base. Either way, the star NFL safety has not been able to avoid discussing the Eagles since parting ways with the team a few months ago.
In the latest version of the CJGJ-Eagles saga, the veteran safety went live on Instagram to chat it up with some fans. Once Gardner-Johnson stumbled across a message that suggested he wouldn’t be seeing another Super Bowl again without the Eagles, Gardner-Johnson flipped the script.
“That’s crazy,” the veteran said. “They probably won’t see one without me. [Expletive] you talking about. You saw what happened when I left. I’m popping now. [Expletive] you talking about, I’m glad I’m in Texas. They say everything is better in Texas.”
Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
Gardner-Johnson takes a trip down memory lane, mentioning his first stint as a member of the Eagles. When Philadelphia acquired Gardner-Johnson from the New Orleans Saints, he was a part of an Eagles team that dominated the NFC, and made a run to Super Bowl LVII.
Gardner-Johnson was a critical piece to an Eagles secondary that saw a major jump in progression in 2022. Unfortunately, the defensive unit struggled against Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs in the big game. Gardner-Johnson and the Eagles lost, then the veteran safety moved to the Detroit Lions in the offseason, via free agency.
The Eagles couldn’t find the same success in 2023. Despite a hot start to the year, they had one of the most notable regular-season collapses in recent times. By the time the Eagles made it to the Wild Card round in the 2023 NFL Playoffs, they came up short against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Gardner-Johnson received attention from the Eagles in free agency the following year. The Eagles signed the veteran safety to a three-year deal. He would collect $10 million guaranteed, and could make up to $27 million over time. For the second time, Gardner-Johnson and the Eagles defense found a lot of success in 2024.
The Eagles and the Chiefs met in the Super Bowl for a rematch, and the defense was like night and day. Although the Eagles were dominant on both ends of the field, the defense was a difference-maker and Gardner-Johnson was a part of that.
After 16 games with the Eagles, including four postseason matchups in his second stint, Gardner-Johnson was moved to the Houston Texans. Since getting traded at the start of the offseason, Gardner-Johnson has been critical of the Eagles’ decision to move him. Now, he believes the Eagles won’t be getting back to the big game without his services, mirroring 2023.