The Philadelphia Eagles had to make a tough decision this offseason.
As great as it would’ve been to keep the entire band together, they had to make choices, and that often means parting ways with some players.
That’s why they chose to move on from C.J. Gardner-Johnson.
Even so, the Super Bowl champion didn’t buy the narrative of his trade being motivated by financial reasons.
Talking on ‘The Pivot,’ Gardner-Johnson claimed that they just couldn’t handle his competitive nature (via JPAFootball):
“Scared of a competitor. Simple as that. You can’t program a dawg. You want me to be a leader and outspoken, but then you want me to sit back. There’s nowhere been a locker room where I had a single issue with a teammate,” Gardner-Johnson said.
𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚: Former #Eagles S CJ Gardner Johnson says they traded him because they are scared of a competitor, he told @thepivot
“Scared of a competitor. Simple as that. You can’t program a dawg. You want me to be a leader and outspoken, but then you want me to sit back.… pic.twitter.com/CvejbfjS4I
— JPAFootball (@jasrifootball) July 19, 2025
Of course, it’s not like he’s the only high-character player on the team, so perhaps that wasn’t the defining factor behind that decision, even if it may have had something to do with it.
Gardner-Johnson will now have to use that as motivation to fuel his competitive fire even more.
He’ll be tasked to hold down the fort in a physical defense.
DeMeco Ryans has instilled his physicality and toughness on that unit since he took the reins of the Houston Texans, and having a Super Bowl champion and a proven veteran there will certainly help carry the load.
The Eagles, on the other hand, will have to be as competitive as Gardner-Johnson, if not more, if they want to protect their crown.
They have the most stacked roster in the entire league, even without him, but it takes much more than just talent to thrive in this league.
They won’t have to face the Texans in the regular season, but who knows? Perhaps Gardner-Johnson will have an opportunity to get back at his former team in the final game of the season.
