CJ Gardner-Johnson fined 45k for multiple unsportsmanlike conduct penalties in Eagles loss to Commanders in week 16
Philadelphia Eagles cornerback CJ Gardner Johnson fined more than $45,000 for lashing out at a Commanders player and then misbehaving with the fans after getting ejected.
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CJ Gardner Johnson fined for unsportsmanlike conduct (Image via ESPN)
The Philadelphia Eagles need to keep CJ Gardner-Johnson in check for future reference; otherwise, the fines will keep piling up. The 27-year-old may be popular because he plays with his heart on his sleeve, but at the same time, it causes him to lose his temper.
Gardner Johnson’s antics in the Eagles’ week 16 fixture against the Washington Commanders turned out to be too extreme for the NFL’s liking. He not only fought with the Commanders players which had him ejected from the game but also pissed off the crowd by pointing middle fingers at them.
For his troubles, the league committee decided to punish him with a hefty fine. CJ Gardner Johnson has to pay $45,022 for two unsportsmanlike conduct violations and the ejection. This brings his total to $101,298 for the 2024 season.
The NFL fined #Eagles DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson $45,022 for two unsportsmanlike conduct violations last week, leading to his ejection.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) December 28, 2024
The Eagles lost (12-3) the game and ground on the CJGJ’s former team the Detroit Lions (13-2), for the NFC top seed. More importantly, the win helped the Commanders close the gap (10-5) for the divisional title.
CJ Gardner-Johnson needs to focus more on helping the Eagles win and concede fewer penalties
Head coach Nick Sirianni said that he wanted to limit the flags but at the same time wouldn’t stop his players from having fun. However, running back Saquon Barkley rightly pointed out that the unnecessary penalties killed the game.
You look at the penalties and all those little things… you tend to lose those football games.
Saquon Barkley said via the Philadelphia Inquirer
Excluding the bad temper, Gardner Johnson has had a good campaign in his first year back in Philadelphia. He started every game in the Eagles backfield and recorded a total of 54 combined tackles, 10 pass deflections, one forced fumble, and 4 interceptions. In the Commanders game, he had 1 assisted tackle, one PDEF, and one interception before getting ejected.
CJGJ spent last season with the high-flying Lions of the NFC North. However, he missed the majority of the regular season after suffering a torn pectoral muscle. He returned for the playoffs and played both games against the Green Bay Packers and the San Francisco 49ers (NFC Title game) and recorded 8 combined tackles and one interception.
The New Orleans Saints originally drafted Gardner Johnson in the fourth round of the 2019 draft. After spending four seasons in Death Valley, he moved to Philadelphia and played in the Super Bowl, which they lost to the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022.
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Ishan Misra
(3023 Articles Published)