CJ Gardner-Johnson Says Eagles Got Rid of Him ‘Cause They Couldn’t Handle His Fire
CJ Gardner-Johnson isn’t mincing words. Fresh off helping the Eagles win the Super Bowl, he says Philly shipped him out not because of money — but because they were flat-out scared of how competitive he is.
“Scared of a competitor,” CJ said on The Pivot podcast. “Simple as that. You can’t program a dawg.”
CJ, now with the Texans, made it clear he felt thrown under the bus by Eagles coaches. He says they didn’t have his back after he got tossed from a Week 16 game against Washington, and things really soured when he got blamed for a fight during practice.
“We had a little scuffle — offense vs. defense, no big deal,” CJ said. “But somehow I’m the bad guy? You’re telling us it’s a live period in practice and not to compete? It’s playoff prep — what do you expect?”
CJ felt like the coaching staff wanted him to be both a fiery leader and a quiet role player — a combo that didn’t sit right with him.
“You want me to lead, but you don’t want me to talk? Make it make sense,” he said. “I’ve never had an issue in any locker room.”
After returning to Philly in 2024 on a 3-year, $27 million deal, CJ got traded just a few months later — sent to the Houston Texans in exchange for O-lineman Kenyon Green. The front office said it was a money move, but CJ clearly doesn’t buy that.
Things got even spicier in June. During an Instagram Live, someone told CJ he wouldn’t win another ring without Philly. His clapback?
“That’s crazy. THEY probably won’t see another without ME. The f*** you talkin’ about? I’m poppin’ now. I’m glad I’m in Texas — they say everything’s better here.”
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This week, though, CJ dialed it back a bit. During the Eagles’ Super Bowl ring ceremony, he said he’d apologize if any of his former teammates felt disrespected.
“I got nothing but love for guys like Jalen Carter, A.J. Brown, Lane Johnson — all of them,” he said. “Lane’s my big vet. He always had my back. But he also told me, ‘When you do too much, I can’t ride with you.’ That was one of those moments.”
Then he added: “If they win six more rings without me? They deserve it. Those dudes are dogs.”
“‘They Were Afraid of a Warrior’ – CJ Drops Bomb on Eagles’ Decision”
