Detroit Lions safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson (2) Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Deebo Samuel, C.J. Gardner-Johnson get into heated social media exchange

By Michael Gallagher | Last updated 10/16/23

There’s certainly no love lost between San Francisco 49ers receiver Deebo Samuel and Detroit Lions safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson.

So when a video circulated on social media Sunday of a pregame brawl between the 49ers and Browns, in which Samuel and teammates Brandon Aiyuk and Trent Williams got into a shoving match with Cleveland defensive back Juan Thornhill, Gardner-Johnson used it as an opportunity to throw some shade at the All-Pro receiver, to which Samuel responded with a video of his own.

U see Deeboo Run Typical WR behavior … THEN ACT HARD WHEN TRENT SAVE HIM https://t.co/9wvgP7sJkK
— C.J. Gardner-Johnson (@CGJXXIII) October 15, 2023

Boy stop playing before you get a rewind of this….. boy sit down https://t.co/edPWZxLuA4 pic.twitter.com/IyFazDl0Ap
— Deebo (@19problemz) October 16, 2023

Trent can’t save you when u see me … ON AND OFF THE FIELD ! Carry on https://t.co/uPGRTwJf90
— C.J. Gardner-Johnson (@CGJXXIII) October 16, 2023

This is comedy. Catch me off the field cause you barely on the field or boucing round on different teams
— Deebo (@19problemz) October 16, 2023

The bad blood between the two players dates back to the NFC Championship game in January when Gardner-Johnson was a member of the Philadelphia Eagles. Samuel admitted over the summer that the Eagles were the team he most hated because of the brash nature of their players and fans.

Samuel also said in an interview in May that the Eagles only won because the 49ers were playing with 10 people, referring to quarterback Brock Purdy’s elbow injury that kept him from throwing passes — a statement that Gardner-Johnson and the rest of the Eagles defensive backs took offense with.

In that matchup, Samuel finished with three receptions on six targets for 33 yards, while Gardner-Johnson allowed just one reception on one target for one yard (to running back Christian McCaffrey) and added five tackles.

Gardner-Johnson is 2-1 in his career against Samuel, including the 2022 NFC Championship game.

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