C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Philadelphia Eagles Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Cooler heads prevail with apologetic C.J. Gardner-Johnson's comments on Eagles

Originally posted on Inside the Iggles
By Anthony Miller | Last updated Jul 16, 2025 6:00 AM ET

After the shocking trade from the Philadelphia Eagles to the Houston Texans, safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson was not shy about going after his former team, specifically general manager Howie Roseman and Vic Fangio. Now, he's doing what he does best on the field: backpedaling.

While appearing on The Pivot podcast, Gardner-Johnson expressed remorse for his comments throughout the offseason. He took the time to apologize for his remarks and specifically called out Eagles right tackle Lane Johnson as he is someone Gardner-Johnson turns to clam him down.

"I retract them and I wouldn't even say it because I played with those guys and I know how they would feel like 'Chancey, you tripping.' It's a disrespect to Jalen Carter, A.J. Brown, I can name all those guys on that team. Lane Johnson, respectfully because Lane is my big vet and Lane would tell me, "Hey Chans, I got your back, but when you do too much, I don't got your back.' And that's one of those moments, that's too much because it take away from his career. He done it before me, so I think apologizing to the guys in Philly like I got nothing against them and if they win six rings without me, they deserve it because that's the type of players they are."

Gardner-Johnson went on to add that he will attend the ceremony at the beginning of the season to be with his teammates and celebrate the Super Bowl title. He said he will take the time to apologize to them all in person.

All good with Eagles and Gardner-Johnson after his latest comments?

Gardner-Johnson played two non-consecutive seasons with the Eagles in 2022 and 2024, both seasons the team made the Super Bowl. Both seasons were also statistically his strongest years, as he recorded six interceptions in each year at safety.

After the season, Philly traded Gardner-Johnson in exchange for offensive lineman Kenyon Green and a 2026 fifth-round pick. Green is expected to compete for a backup job with Gardner-Johnson's old job either being taken over by rookie Andrew Mukuba, Sydney Brown, or Tristin McCollum.

One of the things Eagles fans loved and hated about Gardner-Johnson was how emotional he was on the field. He was the spark plug that helped the defense get the energy they needed with his hard hits and nose for grabbing interceptions. His emotions also hurt him at times, as they got him ejected from a critical loss to the Washington Commanders last year.

The moment of truth on whether it's all water under the bridge will be when the team celebrates its Super Bowl title in Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys. When the banner hangs from Lincoln Financial Field, all those emotions should be washed away with memories of one of the best seasons in franchise history.

This article first appeared on Inside the Iggles and was syndicated with permission.

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