Jul 23, 2025; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson (23) during training camp at Houston Methodist Training Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Anonymous Texans Player Gets Blunt on C.J. Gardner-Johnson Release

Originally posted on Houston Texans on SI | By Jared Koch | Last updated Sep 26, 2025 9:00 AM ET

Just days ago, the Houston Texans decided to make an eye-catching move to their roster in the form of releasing veteran safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, the team's trade acquisition from earlier this offseason, who wound up playing only three games in a Texans uniform before things boiled over.

To those outside of the building watching from afar, the release of Gardner-Johnson came as bit of a surprise. Without knowing the details behind closed doors, it felt as it the veteran defensive back was still getting comfortable in his new system, settling in, and set to remain in Houston for the entire way of the season.

However, for at least one Texans player, the move didn't come as much of a surprise–– and it might've been a necessary decision at that.

“C.J, yeah, he had to go,” an anonymous Texans player told KPRC 2's Aaron Wilson. “You have to embrace the team culture. If you can’t do that, you can’t be a part of this team. He obviously didn’t do that, so he’s gone. It was a lot.”

After a turbulent 0-3 start to the season for Houston, it feels like some of Gardner-Johnson's true colors began to show in the locker room, which didn't quite sit well with teammates and staff. Ultimately, it led to his release being the end result.

Wilson would report earlier in the week that the former Texans defensive back would be released for a variety of factors that centered on his dynamic in the locker room, including criticism of teammates and a lack of happiness within his role.

"Among the issues that arose with Gardner-Johnson, per sources: criticism of teammates in the secondary, including the size of one player’s contract, complaints about his role, including a desire to blitz more frequently, and a trade request along with him making frequent comparisons to what he was accustomed to with the Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl championship squad," Wilson reported.

So, while the move certainly caught the attention of many to begin the week, as time moves forward, the pieces of the puzzle start to come together as to why Gardner-Johnson's tenure with Houston didn't work out and turned out to be short-lived.

Gardner-Johnson ends his time with the Texans playing in three games and three starts to log 15 tackles with no interceptions or pass breakups.

As the Texans move forward into Week 4 vs. the Tennessee Titans in a vital division battle, their safety unit will now be slimmed down to Calen Bullock and veteran M.J. Stewart starting in the back-end, with Jimmie Ward and rookie Jaylen Reed still recovering from their respective offseason injuries, and set to return in the coming weeks.