CJ Gardner-Johnson Apologizes to His Old Teammates over ‘Eagles Will Not Win Another Ring Without Him’ Comment

The 27-year-old safety from Florida, CJ Gardner-Johnson, has played for a different team in each season since 2022.

CJ Gardner-Johnson Apologizes to His Old Teammates over ‘Eagles Will Not Win Another Ring Without Him’ Comment

CJ Gardner Johnson (Image via On Pattison)

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CJ Gardner-Johnson, the 2025 Super Bowl champion, had a journey that would be best described as a rollercoaster. The 27-year-old safety was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in 2019 and spent three seasons there before joining the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022.

After helping the Eagles to their fourth Super Bowl appearance in 2022, he was quickly traded to the Detroit Lions. He was back in the City of Brotherly Love from the Motor City just about a year back. In 2024, Gardner-Johnson played a huge part in helping the Eagles to their second Super Bowl. Imagine his surprise if he’s traded again.

The Eagles traded the Florida-native to the Houston Texans just a month after the Super Bowl victory. Gardner-Johnson, obviously, didn’t take the trade lightly at that time. During an Instagram Live session in June, the safety made a bold claim, saying, “The Eagles probably won’t see a ring without me.”

In an appearance on the Pivot Podcast, Gardner-Johnson opened up on the incident. He addressed the shock that led him to the open lambast.

When I got traded [to the Texans], I was in shock. I told [Houston head coach DeMeco Ryans] I couldn’t come into the building because I was confused. I didn’t know who to turn to.

CJ Gardner-Johnson said

Later in the podcast, he also apologized for the Eagles’ snide and former teammate, Lane Johnson.

I got nothing against them. If they win six more rings without me, they deserve it.

CJ Gardner-Johnson added

Nevertheless, Gardner-Johnson had a strong impact in Philadelphia, no matter what. In his two seasons with the team, he totaled 126 tackles, 20 pass breakups, and 12 interceptions. More importantly, his intensity helped shape a defensive identity that had been missing for years. The shift in their numbers after his departure and the gradual increase once he was back is an example of that.

They allowed an average of 30.5 points per game and ranked near the bottom in several defensive categories. When Gardner-Johnson returned in free agency, the unit rebounded to lead the league in points allowed per game and ranked second in both passing yards allowed and passer rating.

The Philadelphia Eagles decision to trade CJ Gardner-Johnson was a business decision

After the trade, Philadelphia Eagles General Manager Howie Roseman explained the reasoning behind the move. He admitted that the decision had nothing to do with CJ Gardner-Johnson but was purely business.

Howie Roseman 2
Howie Roseman (Image via Philadelphia Eagles)

Roseman admitted that CJGJ had done a great job as the starting job for both seasons he was there in Philly.

Chauncey did a great job for us in both the years that he was with us, obviously making the Super Bowl twice in two years with him as our starting safety.

Roseman said at the NFL annual meetings

Roseman also explained the business behind the move. The team is currently balancing a roster where eight players are already on contracts worth $15 million or more annually. At the same time, recent draft classes from 2022 to 2024 have produced eight starters, Cooper DeJean for one, and additional young talent poised to step into starting roles. These players, while still on rookie deals, will soon be eligible for contract extensions.

Roseman explained that continuing with the addition and retaining of high-salary veterans would result in a financial bottleneck. He added that they would be forced to cut or lose up to 20 players in a single year just to stay under the cap at one point.

Hate it or love it, Roseman has time, and time has proved why he’s one of the greatest masterminds, and it seems like CJ Gardner-Johnson understood that finally.

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