C.J. Gardner-Johnson is on his third new team in as many seasons.
After winning a Super Bowl, the Eagles have undergone an offseason that required general manager Howie Roseman to make some major decisions to prep for repeat run. One such decision was trading Gardner-Johnson to the Texans for guard Kenyon Green and draft compensation. Gardner-Johnson recently aired his emotions about Philadelphia shipping him to Houston.
"I feel highly disrespected, but it's a business," Gardner-Johnson told Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 this week. "Never was an All-Pro or Pro Bowl! Never! Led the league in interceptions. What more do you want?
"People say, 'He's a hazard, he's this, he's that.' I never been no hazard, bro. They got no real issues on me. That black ball ain't going to work on me, because I got me a ring. I got me one. I got three more championships in me. I'm probably going to win the next three. I'm going to get me another Super Bowl this year. Just watch."
The NFL is a business and Gardner-Johnson being vocal about Roseman's decision to move on from him is nothing new.
Gardner-Johnson was acquired by the Eagles for a first time in 2022, via trade from the New Orleans Saints before the start of the campaign. He played a huge role in Philly's defense as a ballhawking defensive back and tied for the league lead with six interceptions in just 12 games. Gardner-Johnson helped Philly to its first Super Bowl appearance since 2017. However, the Eagles fell short in Super Bowl LVII to the Chiefs.
Gardner-Johnson joined the Detroit Lions in free agency the following offseason on a one-year deal, but he had a rocky tenure with the team. He suffered a non-contact knee injury in training camp and was carted off the field. He overcame it and was available to play at the start of the season, only to tear his pectoral in Week 2. Gardner-Johnson was forced to miss 14 regular-season contests, and Detroit fell short in the NFC Championship Game.
Gardner-Johnson returned to Philly on a three-year contract in the 2024 offseason. He started every game -- playoffs included -- for Philly en route to the team's second Super Bowl title, this time a triumphant victory over Kansas City.
Now, he'll begin a new chapter of his NFL journey in Houston. The Texans possess a talented defensive unit under head coach DeMeco Ryans highlighted by All-Pro cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., safety Jalen Pitre and pass rushers Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter. In Ryans' two seasons with the Texans, the club has won two consecutive AFC South titles and found an emerging star quarterback in C.J. Stroud.
Gardner-Johnson has taken notice of Houston's ascension in the AFC, albeit with a few nitpicks.
"I mean, you guys played a lot of good ball here, but I don't think they understand what it means to win when it matters," he said. "I'm not talking discredit to the team. I'm just saying I've been in a lot situations where, from Detroit to New Orleans to Philly, I've got to win when it matters and I've been in games where I had to step up.
"For me, championships means more to me than just winning a football game right now because I'm getting older. I'm playing with a lot of younger guys who understand like, yeah, the money's here, but it's more on when you can win and get a championship, you know?"
Gardner-Johnson will get an opportunity to prove the Eagles made the wrong decision by helping his new young squad get over the hump.
Along with trading Gardner-Johnson, Philadelphia also lost several key players in free agency this offseason. Mekhi Becton, Josh Sweat and Milton Williams signed bigger deals elsewhere, as the Eagles prioritized giving contract extensions to running back Saquon Barkley, linebacker Zack Baun and offensive tackle Lane Johnson. Gardner-Johnson, one of the odd men out in Philly, talked about the money element.
"It wasn't about money," Gardner-Johnson said. "If it was about money, everybody would have been gone. How can I say this the most respectful way? Saquon deserved it. Zack deserved it, but the reasons behind it, the fans don't deserve that reason.
"It's deeper than that. The fans don't deserve, 'It's about the money,' because if that was the case, my contract was safe."
At the NFL's Annual League Meeting in April, Roseman explained why Philly moved CJGJ to Houston. The Eagles GM said that there had to be a balance between keeping and signing players in free agency and building throughout the draft. Gardner-Johnson did not fall in Philly's long-term plans.
Gardner-Johnson's tenure once again didn't last beyond a season in his second stint with the Eagles, but now he'll have a chance to pursue a Super Bowl with the Texans, who have yet to lift a Lombardi Trophy.
