Buffalo Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson is absolutely fired up for Week 1 against his former team, the Houston Texans, and he is not holding back on how his time in Houston ended. He played just three games for the Texans last season before they cut him, but he told ESPN’s Alaina Getzenberg he “can’t wait” to see them, adding, “All the bulls–t that came out, it was lies, but whatever. I just can’t wait to see ’em.” Yeah, you can tell there’s some serious bad blood there heading into the season opener.
Houston’s Quick Hook and the Messy Divorce
Gardner-Johnson’s tenure in Houston was short and definitely not sweet. He only saw the field for three games, and the team was sitting at 0-3 when they decided to cut him loose. According to Getzenberg, things blew up during a Week 3 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. After the Texans gave up a touchdown, Gardner-Johnson reportedly “had a mimicking response to cornerback Kamari Lassiter,” who was apparently pretty upset on the sidelines. Derek Stingley Jr. jumped into the mix, and words were definitely exchanged. The tension carried into the locker room, and even though there was no physical fight, the Texans released him right after the game. Gardner-Johnson is still steaming about it. “They released me because I wasn’t jelling with the team and I didn’t fit well,” he said. “Well, why the hell didn’t the coach spoke up about it? … After the loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, they decided I didn’t fit well. We was already starting 0-3, so how can it possibly be on one person?” It’s clear he felt like the scapegoat, especially when Houston turned things around and actually made the AFC Divisional Round *after* he was gone. Ouch.
The Bears Bounce Back and a New Home in Buffalo
After the Houston drama, Gardner-Johnson briefly landed with the Baltimore Ravens before finding his stride with the Chicago Bears. He made a real impact there, playing in 10 regular-season games and even one postseason contest as the Bears reached the NFC Divisional Round themselves. He was a crucial piece for a secondary dealing with injuries, putting up some solid numbers: 51 tackles, five tackles for loss, three sacks, four passes defended, two interceptions, and one forced fumble. That kind of production clearly caught the eye of the Buffalo Bills, who signed him in free agency this offseason. He did miss a couple of practices with a right calf strain recently, but he was back on the field Thursday, already focused on that Week 1 matchup.
This Bills vs. Texans game is going to be more than just an individual revenge game for Gardner-Johnson. Both teams are serious AFC contenders, potentially battling for home-field advantage down the line. It’s just one game, sure, but these early AFC showdowns can absolutely matter for tiebreaker situations. You know CJGJ is going to be playing with a fire under him. Get ready, because Week 1 is going to be absolutely wild.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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