This offseason, former Philadelphia Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson was expected to be one of the top free-agent safeties on the market, but he did not appear to generate the interest on the market that he thought he would before ultimately settling for a one-year deal with the Detroit Lions.
But even though the Eagles didn’t offer him the contract he had hoped – prompting some frustration that presumably led to a since-deleted tweet – C.J. Gardner-Johnson says he has “no bad blood” with the team.
“I have no bad blood,” Gardner-Johnson said according to Zach Berman of TheAthletic.com. “People overreact to a tweet in free agency. But it was never disrespectful to the organization. Organization treated me like family. It’s just, gotta do what’s best for your family. . . . It is what it is. Past is the past. I’m here now. Brand new team, new city. Trying to win some games.”
Gardner-Johnson on offer from the Eagles: "It is what it is. Past is the past. I'm here now. Brand new team, new city. Trying to win some games."
— Zach Berman (@ZBerm) March 20, 2023
The situation got a little more interesting on Monday when it was reported that the Eagles actually offered Gardner-Johnson more than the Lions did earlier in the free agency, but the safety rejected it, presumably misjudging the market and failing to estimate his own value.
But at the end of the day, Gardner-Johnson found a new home with the Lions and it sounds like he’s ready to move on.
