Latest news with #C.J.Gardner-Johnson
Newsweek
3 days ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Former Outspoken Eagles Star Sends Message on Social Media
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Many wondered whether Chauncey Gardner-Johnson would show face at the Philadelphia Eagles' Super Bowl LIX ring ceremony this offseason. Not only did Gardner-Johnson show up, but he accepted his ring and sent a straightforward message to his followers on social media. "Hi haters," the veteran safety wrote on X, captioning a video of Gardner-Johnson's customized Super Bowl ring. For the second time in his career, Gardner-Johnson is spending an offseason at verbal war with the Eagles. After getting traded to the Houston Texans back in the spring, Gardner-Johnson didn't seem to appreciate the move. Read More: NFL Star Makes Shocking Statement on Philadelphia Eagles Fans The Eagles claimed that it was purely a financial decision to part ways with the veteran safety. Gardner-Johnson feels that is not the case. Since entering the NFL in 2019, Gardner-Johnson has suited up for three different teams. He had two separate stints with the Eagles. C.J. Gardner-Johnson #8 of the Philadelphia Eagles reacts after winning Super Bowl LIX against the Kansas City Chiefs at Caesars Superdome on February 09, 2025, in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Eagles defeated the Chiefs 40-22. C.J. Gardner-Johnson #8 of the Philadelphia Eagles reacts after winning Super Bowl LIX against the Kansas City Chiefs at Caesars Superdome on February 09, 2025, in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Eagles defeated the Chiefs More: Philadelphia Eagles Reveal Super Bowl LIX Rings After spending his first three NFL seasons playing for the Saints, Gardner-Johnson joined the Eagles via trade ahead of the 2022 NFL season. He appeared in 12 games, collecting 67 tackles and six interceptions, which led the NFL. It was a career year for Gardner-Johnson, who hit the free agency market the following offseason. The Eagles didn't re-sign Johnson. The veteran safety landed with the Detroit Lions for the year. Due to an injury, Gardner-Johnson would play in just three games for the Lions. After Detroit's playoff run, Gardner-Johnson hit the free agency market once again, reuniting with the Eagles. Read More: C.J. Gardner-Johnson Walks Back Harsh Comments Toward Eagles On a three-year deal, Gardner-Johnson expected to be with the Eagles for a while. He helped them throughout their second Super Bowl run in three seasons. Although they came up short against the Kansas City Chiefs in 2022, the Eagles got their revenge in 2024. Gardner-Johnson appeared in 16 games with the Eagles in 2024. He accounted for 59 tackles, 12 pass deflections, and six interceptions, which tied his career high. In the playoffs, Gardner-Johnson came up with 14 tackles. After one more season in Philadelphia, Gardner-Johnson went back on the move. He'll star for the Houston Texans' secondary next year. While he hasn't been on solid terms with the Eagles throughout the year, his contributions to the miraculous Super Bowl run can not be taken away. He now has a ring to show for as he heads back to Texas. For more Philadelphia Eagles and NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Eagles' Second-Round Pick Marked to 'Surprise' in 2025
Eagles' Second-Round Pick Marked to 'Surprise' in 2025 originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The Philadelphia Eagles had some roster spots to replace in this year's draft after losing C.J. Gardner-Johnson to the Texans via trade and Darius Slay Jr. signing with the Steelers in free agency. Philadelphia elected to draft Texas safety Andrew Mukuka with their second-round pick at No. 64 overall. Mukuba will add some immediate depth to the secondary as a four-year starter in college, splitting seasons with Clemson and Texas. He could also be a surprise for the Eagles, as USA Today's Bucs Wire predicted. "Jihaad Campbell may be the first-round pick, but it's the Swiss army knife from the University of Texas that will have an opportunity to make the most significant impact from Day 1," Eagles Wire's Glen Erby wrote. " At 6-0, 186 pounds, Mukuba is undersized but makes up for it with excellent ball skills and instincts. He possesses good length and exhibits ball-hawking tendencies, tying the SEC lead with five interceptions in 2024. Over his final 26 games in college, Mukuba recorded 18 pass breakups and committed zero penalties. "That's impressive for a player who's aggressive at the catch point. Mukuba allowed just 74 yards and a 12.1 passer rating on 401 coverage snaps last season, per PFF." Mukuba had an SEC-leading five interceptions last season, and that's an aspect of his game that Eagles GM Howie Roseman hopes continues at the next level. One starting safety spot is open, and Mukuba should offer stiff competition to 2023 third-round pick Sydney Brown for the job. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 13, 2025, where it first appeared.
Newsweek
16-07-2025
- Sport
- Newsweek
C.J. Gardner-Johnson Walks Back Harsh Comments Toward Eagles
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Former Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson has been sent packing by Philadelphia twice in three years. The pain hasn't gotten any easier to deal with. "When I got traded [to the Texans], I was in shock," Gardner-Johnson said on a recent episode of The Pivot Podcast. "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." 'My son said, so we can't wear green anymore? And that killed me.' C.J. Gardner-Johnson- Super Bowl Champion Super Bowl Champion is what he wants to be known as by the world and especially around the league, and now @CGJXXIII is opening up on how it hasn't been the case as his… — Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) July 15, 2025 The Eagles traded Gardner-Johnson to the Houston Texans in March, one month after he helped them win a Super Bowl title. General Manager Howie Roseman cited financial flexibility as the reason behind the trade. "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. "When you look at our team and you look at the amount of highly paid players who have earned their contracts, we've got eight guys who are making $15 million or more. "We have, from 2022 to 2024 drafts, we have eight starters who are on the Super Bowl team. None of those guys have long-term contracts. In those drafts, we probably have five or six players who will be competing for starting jobs. So you have a lot of players coming through that aren't under long-term contracts, plus a lot of guys who are on long-term contracts, and we never want to be in a situation where we have one year where we're getting rid of 20 guys." INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 24: Safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson #8 of the Philadelphia Eagles stands on the field prior to an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, at SoFi Stadium on November 24, 2024... INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 24: Safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson #8 of the Philadelphia Eagles stands on the field prior to an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, at SoFi Stadium on November 24, 2024 in Inglewood, California. Eagles C.J. Gardner-Johnson being evaluted for a concussion. MoreLooming contract extensions for Jalen Carter, Reed Blankenship, Jordan Davis, Nakobe Dean, and others contributed to the decision. Still, Gardner-Johnson said the defense would be worse off without him on an Instagram Live session in June. "The Eagles probably won't see a ring without me. Y'all saw what happened when I left. I'm popping now, I'm glad I'm in Texas." After Gardner-Johnson left the team in 2023, Philadelphia's defense suffered a catastrophic decline. All that changed when he returned in free agency last offseason. 2023 2024 Opponent points/game 30.5 (30th) 18.1 (1st) Opponent passing yards/game 255.7 (30th) 186.9 (2nd) Passer rating allowed 98.8 (30tj) 81.6 (2nd) Gardner-Johnson walked back his comments during the podcast, specifically apologizing to Eagles players and Lane Johnson. CJ Gardner Johnson has nothing but love for the Eagles and his former teammates, apologizing for emotionally saying the Eagles won't win another ring without him. 'I got nothing against them. If they win six more rings without me, they deserve it.' 🤝 — SPORTSRADIO 94WIP (@SportsRadioWIP) July 15, 2025 In two seasons with the Eagles, Gardner-Johnson recorded 126 tackles, 20 pass breakups, and 12 interceptions. He brought a much-needed edge to a defense that needed intensity, and that energy catapulted Philadelphia to another championship. With the drama now behind him, Gardner-Johnson can focus on making an impact with the Texans. For more Philadelphia Eagles and NFL news, head over to Newsweek Sports
USA Today
10-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Where did the Eagles land in a ranking of all 32 NFL secondaries?
The Eagles' secondary remains one of the NFL's most respected even after their recent roster turnover. Words can't express how often we've heard some of the common offseason narratives, nor can they encapsulate how quickly we grew tired of them. For months, we heard most of the disgruntled players who wanted a change of scenery had the Philadelphia Eagles on their short lists of desired destinations. Unsurprisingly, smoke never led to fire in those situations. That forced us to endure months of conversations about the Eagles' offseason losses and whether or not they'd recover. If you're like us, you're no doubt under the impression that those discussions have gone on long enough. Most of the panic is very unnecessary. Philadelphia lost key contributors and starters, but it has reloaded. They're armed with some young talent and returning veterans who should make for an explosive mixture, especially in their secondary. Darius Slay is gone. So is C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Avonte Maddox, and Isaiah Rodgers. Third-year veteran Kelee Ringo and the new guy, Adoree' Jackson, will compete for the right to replace Slay in the starting lineup. Philadelphia drafted Andrew Mukuba to give the backend of the defense depth and a possible starter. He'll have to beat out Sydney Brown to start alongside Reed Blankenship. These defensive backs are going to surprise a lot of people, but any success won't come as a surprise to Pro Football Focus, which already sees them as one of the game's best units entering the coming season. PFF ranks the NFL's secondaries Eagles training camp approaches. Rookies report on July 15. Veterans report to work seven days later. We should learn a lot about how the guys are valued. PFF recently stacked every NFL team's secondary. Philadelphia cracked the top ten at number eight. Their rivals, the New York Giants, Washington Commanders, and Dallas Cowboys landed at 24th, 28th, and 31st, respectively. John Kosko is the writer of this one. Here's what he offered as his theory, and this is how we'll end this. "While Vic Fangio is a defensive wizard, expecting Philadelphia to immediately get plug-and-play production at the level of their predecessors is a tall order. Still, a unit returning Quinyon Mitchell and Cooper DeJean, both phenomenal as rookies, will be tough to throw against." We couldn't agree more. After a dominant defensive performance in Super Bowl 59, the expectation is Philadelphia will build on that foundation and improve. Coach Fangio has a lot of pieces to work with, and here's the best part. Many are young and willing to listen.
USA Today
01-07-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
30 Most Important Eagles of 2025: No. 25 Andrew Mukuba
Every day from now until the start of training camp, we're counting down our 30 Most Important Eagles for the 2025 season. The Philadelphia Eagles are gearing up for Super Bowl defense, which features plenty of new and returning faces within the organization. Several players, coaches, and front-office members are crucial to the team's success this season. Every day from now until the start of training camp, we're counting down our 30 Most Important Eagles for the 2025 season. We'll recap their 2024 season, look ahead to 2025, and tackle the most significant question facing them this year. Next up is Andrew Mukuba, a rookie Swiss army knife at the safety position that could make fans forget about C.J. Gardner-Johnson in the Eagles' secondary. Background Position: DB Age: 22 Experience: Rookie 2025 cap hit: Unsigned 2024 recap Over his final 26 games in college, Mukuba recorded 18 pass breakups and committed zero penalties. That's impressive for a player who's aggressive at the catch point. Mukuba allowed just 74 yards and a 12.1 passer rating on 401 coverage snaps last season, per PFF. 2025 outlook At 6-0, 186 pounds, Mukuba is undersized but makes up for it with excellent ball skills and instincts. He possesses good length and exhibits ball-hawking tendencies, tying the SEC lead with five interceptions in 2024. If he were a few inches taller and 15 pounds heavier, Mukuba would've been a first-round pick. Biggest question: Can Mukuba replicate Gardner-Johnson's big-play ability? Mukuba had five interceptions in his lone year with the Longhorns, earning third-team All-SEC honors. The Eagles selected Mukuba in the second round because of his position versatility and big-play ability, which is paramount in the Eagles' defense on the back end -- especially after trading away C.J. Gardner-Johnson. Mukuba, Sydney Brown, and Tristin McCollum are the lead contenders to fill the void at the other safety spot opposite Reed Blankenship. 30 Most Important Eagles of 2025 We're counting down our 30 Most Important Eagles of 2025. Check back every day leading up to the start of training camp. No. 30 OL Kendall Lamm, No. 29 Azeez Ojulari, No. 28 Kevin Patullo, No. 27 Will Shipley, No. 26 Moro Ojomo
