C.J. Johnson-Gardner Breaks Silence on Why He Was Traded by the Eagles

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C.J. Gardner-Johnson, now of the Houston Texans, sounded off on his departure from Philadelphia.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson has been outspoken about his departure from the Philadelphia Eagles, and he shed further light on why he is no longer wearing green and silver.

Gardner-Johnson detailed his departure from Philadelphia and why he is with the Houston Texans while appearing on “The Pivot” podcast with Fred Taylor, Ryan Clark and Channing Crowder recently.

Gardner-Johnson has been on the Eagles in their two most recent Super Bowl appearances, posting six interceptions in 2022 and six more picks in in their championship year of 2024.

But Philadelphia traded Gardner-Johnson with a sixth-round pick to the Texans for Kenyon Green and a fifth-round pick in March, a move that has not sat well with the now-former Eagles safety.

Why Did The Eagles Trade C.J. Gardner-Johnson?

The Eagles have been cordial about Gardner-Johnson’s departure, calling him a salary-cap casualty, since he has a cap hit of $9 million for 2025.

“That was a salary cap-type thing, and Howie made that decision,” Eagles defensive coordinator Vic Fangio told reporters in the spring. “I was fine with it.”

Yet, Gardner-Johnson believes differently.

“They’re scared of a competitor,” Gardner-Johnson said. “You can’t program a dog.”

Gardner-Johnson cited his ejection against the Washington Commanders for picking up two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties as the jumping-off point where Philadelphia started to reconsider his actions.

To Gardner-Johnson’s credit, those were the only two penalties against him all season. But between that, and the scuffle he sparked at practice later in the season between the Eagles defense and their offense, he felt he was being singled out by staff.

“It’s like little antic things about ‘how do you want to play football,'” Gardner-Johnson said. “Do you want me to be a leader and be outspoken, but then you want me to sit back.

“I’m [being] misled. I’m confused. I don’t know what you want me to do.”

Gardner-Johnson felt he couldn’t be himself in the Eagles locker room due to how he felt he was perceived by the organization. The veteran, who has played with the Eagles, Lions and New Orleans Saints, has not been susspended or arrested during his first six NFL seasons.

“I don’t cause no problems,” Gardner-Johnson said. “There’s nowhere in the locker room where I’ve had a single issue with a teammate.”

Gardner-Johnson said the Eagles would not win the Super Bowl without him, and he accepted accountability for that and other statements he made about the Eagles on his way out the door.

“I retract them,” Gardner-Johnson said. “I wouldn’t even say it, because I play with those guys, and I know how they would feel.

“It’s disrespect to Jalen Carter, A.J. Brown. I could name all those guys on that team. Lane Johnson. … I apologize to the guys in Philly. I got nothing against them.”

What Did C.J. Gardner-Johnson Say About Being On The Texans?

Gardner-Johnson is already ingratiating himself with his new team.

“I just got traded, and I met the owner; the GM was there,” Gardner-Johnson said. “All the assistant coaches. You don’t get called to a wedding if I was a problem.”

Gardner-Johnson also is aware of how he he needs to be smarter in 2024.

“The outbursts,” he said. “That’s easy to tone back. Just don’t say nothing.”