Veteran safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson spent last season with the Detroit Lions on a one-year deal but ultimately decided to sign with the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason instead of returning to Detroit. And it sounds like he isn’t necessarily happy with the way the fans have responded to his departure.
In a series of since-deleted posts on social media, C.J. Gardner-Johnson called out Detroit Lions fans for being “quick to turn” on him after he decided to sign with the Eagles instead of signing another contract with the Lions.
“Lions fans quick to turn! But ima hush,” Gardner-Johnson posted on X, formerly Twitter, at 7:59 a.m. on Wednesday, according to MLive.com.
“City legend though, definitely can ask any East side or west side resident! So quick (quit) playing on my name ‘fans,’” Garnder said in a follow-up post.
MLive does confirm Gardner-Johnson’s claim that he emersed himself in the city during his time in Detroit.
“As for Gardner-Johnson, he swiftly immersed himself in Detroit’s culture, making an appearance at the highly popular Cass Tech versus MLK high school football game on Sept. 15, 2023, also held on Detroit’s east side. Several days before the game, Gardner-Johnson made a charitable donation to MLK High School. They presented him with a token of appreciation during the game,” MLive reports.
Gardner-Johnson was a fairly high-profile free agent signing for the Lions last season and there were high expectations for the veteran safety. However, due to injuries, Gardner-Johnson appeared in just three games during the regular season
