The Philadelphia Eagles saw plenty of interesting departures this offseason. Some made sense. But the most surprising one? Safety CJ Gardner-Johnson’s packing his bags. Just one year after signing a three-year deal, Nick Sirianni and the Eagles front office shipped him off to the Houston Texans. Gardner-Johnson’s exit stung. Especially since his toughness gave Philly’s defense the edge they needed during their Super Bowl run. So why would Sirianni greenlight this trade? The answer might lie in the growing tension behind the scenes. And Gardner Johnson isn’t staying quiet about it.
The safety himself didn’t hold back, saying after the move, “To be honest with you, I’m still shocked, but I’m happy…” But his latest claim? That’s where things get even more interesting. Rumors swirled that the Eagles nearly took a much harsher step before finding a trade partner. Turns out, the drama runs deeper than just a simple trade. While Gardner-Johnson settled into his new Texans locker room with mixed emotions, whispers started circulating about how close he came to an even messier exit.
According to an NFL Rumors post on X, the Eagles reportedly had a backup plan – one that would’ve been way more drastic than a trade. The post claimed, “The #Eagles reportedly were going to release CJ Gardner-Johnson if they could not find a trade partner.” If true, it means Philly was ready to cut ties completely rather than keep him on the roster.
NFL RUMORS: The #Eagles reportely were going to release CJ Gardner Johnson if they could not find a trade partner. pic.twitter.com/uC13C99iud
— NFL Rumors (@nflrums) July 16, 2025
Hence, to avoid that, on March 12, 2025, the Eagles worked out a deal, sending Gardner-Johnson and a 2026 sixth-round pick to Houston in exchange for guard Kenyon Green and a 2025 fifth-rounder. At first glance, it’s a head-scratcher. Trading a key piece of a championship defense for a reclamation project on the O-line. But GM Howie Roseman had his reasons.
“Every dollar that you spend is a dollar less that you can spend on some of these younger players that maybe you want to retain,” Roseman explained at the NFL meetings. “Getting out in front of it was important to us. And again, hard decisions. Not asking anyone to agree with them, but that’s part of our job.”
No one’s doubting Gardner-Johnson’s impact. In his two stints with Philly, he racked up 12 interceptions in just 28 games, locked down receivers (allowing a 69.8 passer rating), and helped the Eagles reach two Super Bowls – winning one. He’s the kind of player who changes games, and he wears that ‘winner‘ label with pride.
Still, Roseman had to think long-term. The Eagles are tight against the cap, and tough choices had to be made. But here’s the real kicker. Gardner-Johnson didn’t just take the trade quietly. He had his fiery take on why the Eagles moved on, and… it wasn’t about cap space.
CJ Gardner-Johnson calls out Eagles’ competitive fear
Gardner Johnson has never been one to mince words. And his explanation for why Philadelphia moved on from him cuts straight to the point. While the Eagles cited salary cap considerations, the veteran safety offered a far more pointed perspective: “Scared of a competitor.” During an appearance on The Pivot podcast, he expanded on this with a memorable analogy – “You can’t program a dog” – suggesting the organization ultimately couldn’t handle the very competitive fire that made him valuable.
These comments didn’t come out of nowhere. Gardner-Johnson pointed to specific moments where his intensity created tension. His late-season ejection against Washington drew clear frustration from coaches. Then there was the playoff practice where a competitive scuffle broke out. “Who gets blamed? Me,” he recalled. “They call it a live period, but don’t want the competition?” For a player whose value comes from his edge, this mixed messaging grated.
What’s telling is that CJ maintains he never had issues with teammates. “Not one locker room where I’ve had problems,” he emphasized. He specifically mentioned respected veterans like Lane Johnson, who understood his approach, though even Johnson cautioned him when comments crossed a line. This distinction between how players and management viewed him became a recurring theme.
His June Instagram Live comments – where he responded to a fan’s taunt by saying Philly “probably won’t see [a ring] without me” – certainly added fuel to the fire. To his credit, he later walked those back, praising former teammates like Jalen Carter and acknowledging, “That went too far.” But the underlying sentiment remained: a belief that Philadelphia never fully appreciated what he brought.
The numbers support his case: 12 interceptions in just 28 Eagles games, two Super Bowl appearances, and one championship. Yet the team moved him for a reclamation project offensive lineman. Whether this was purely financial or, as Gardner-Johnson suggests, about comfort with his competitive nature, the result is the same. Houston gains his intensity, Philadelphia loses a playmaker, and the NFL gets another compelling ‘he said, they said‘ offseason storyline.
The post NFL Rumors: Nick Sirianni Avoids Major Call on CJ Gardner-Johnson Amid Safety’s Bad Blood With Eagles appeared first on EssentiallySports.