C. J. Gardner-Johnson

C. J. Gardner-Johnson
refer to caption
Gardner-Johnson with the Eagles in 2022
No. 8 – Philadelphia Eagles
Position:Safety
Personal information
Born: (1997-12-20) December 20, 1997 (age 26)
Cocoa, Florida, U.S.
Height:5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight:210 lb (95 kg)
Career information
High school:Cocoa
College:Florida (2016–2018)
NFL draft:2019 / round: 4 / pick: 105
Career history
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of Week 8, 2024
Total tackles:274
Sacks:4.0
Forced fumbles:1
Fumble recoveries:1
Pass deflections:44
Interceptions:13
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Chauncey "C.J." Gardner-Johnson (born December 20, 1997)[1] is an American professional football safety for the Philadelphia Eagles of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Florida and was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL draft. He has also played for the Detroit Lions.

Name changes

Gardner-Johnson was known as Chauncey Gardner Jr. prior to his junior year at Florida. On December 31, 2017, he announced he changed his last name to Gardner-Johnson in honor of his stepfather, Brian Johnson.[2][3] Gardner-Johnson's biological father, Chauncey Gardner Sr., has been a part of his life, but Johnson had raised Gardner-Johnson from the time he was a toddler until he went off to college.[1]

In both 2020 and 2023, Gardner-Johnson posted his intention to legally change his name to Ceedy Duce on Instagram. Despite this, he has yet to formally change his name to Ceedy Duce. In 2020, he stated "Officially changing my name to Ceedy Duce. No more Chauncey or C.J. Gardner-Johnson. Time to pave a way for my own imagine [sic] that I want no more judgement, thoughts on me, because you really don't know me, until you understand me as a person I won't speak unless spoken to."[4] In 2023, he said "Court doucments [sic] otw (on the way). It's a different person. I got an alter ego. I got like two different people living in me, football and life. Life, I’m just chilling. Football, that’s a whole different person. People call me Ceedy on the football field or Ducey. In life, they call me C.J. or Chauncey".[5]

College career

As a true freshman at Florida, Gardner-Johnson appeared in all 14 games, making starts in the final seven games of the season. During the 2017 Outback Bowl, Gardner-Johnson had two tackles and two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown against Iowa.[6] He was named the MVP of the Outback Bowl.[7][3] During his sophomore season, Gardner-Johnson started in all 11 games. Before his junior season, Gardner-Johnson was moved to the nickelback position.[8] On November 26, 2018, Gardner-Johnson announced that he would forgo his final year of eligibility and declare for the 2019 NFL draft.[9]

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span 40-yard dash 10-yard split 20-yard split 20-yard shuttle Three-cone drill Vertical jump Broad jump Bench press
5 ft 10+7⁄8 in
(1.80 m) 		210 lb
(95 kg) 		30+7⁄8 in
(0.78 m) 		9+1⁄4 in
(0.23 m)		 4.48 s 1.58 s 2.62 s 4.20 s 7.03 s 37.0 in
(0.94 m)		 10 ft 2 in
(3.10 m)		 17 reps
All values from NFL Combine/Pro Day[10][11]

New Orleans Saints

2019

Gardner-Johnson was selected by the New Orleans Saints in the fourth round (105th overall) of the 2019 NFL Draft.[12] In a Week 13 game against the Atlanta Falcons on Thanksgiving Day, Gardner-Johnson recorded his first career interception off a pass thrown by Matt Ryan in the 26–18 win.[13] In Week 16 against the Tennessee Titans, Gardner-Johnson recorded eight tackles and forced a fumble on wide receiver Kalif Raymond which he recovered during the 38–28 win.[14] In the 2019 season, Gardner-Johnson finished with 42 total tackles, one interception, eight passes defended, and one forced fumble.[15] He was named to the PFWA All-Rookie Team.[16]

2020

Gardner-Johnson in 2021

On October 11, 2020, Gardner-Johnson was punched by teammate Michael Thomas during practice. This led to Thomas being benched for that week's game.[17] On November 1, 2020, in a 26–23 victory over the Chicago Bears, Gardner-Johnson was sucker-punched by Bears' wide receiver Javon Wims which led to a scuffle between both teams in the third quarter. Wims ran up to an unsuspecting Gardner-Johnson, who had his back turned and punched him in the helmet. When Gardner-Johnson did not react, Wims punched him again. Earlier broadcast showed Gardner-Johnson ripping off Wims' mouthguard away from Wims. Despite Wims claiming Gardner-Johnson spit on him, no evidence supported this claim.[18] Gardner-Johnson later denied that he spit on Wims.[19] The incident led to Wims being ejected from the game and suspended for two games by the NFL the next day.[20][21] Gardner-Johnson was also fined $5,128 for his actions with Wims.[22]

In Week 10 against the San Francisco 49ers, Gardner-Johnson recorded his first career sack on quarterback Nick Mullens during the 27–13 win.[23][24] In Week 12 against the Denver Broncos, Gardner-Johnson intercepted a pass thrown by wide receiver Kendall Hinton during the 31–3 win.[25] Gardner-Johnson was placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list by the Saints on December 30, 2020,[26] and activated on January 8, 2021.[27] In the 2020 season, Gardner-Johnson finished with one sack, 66 total tackles, one interception, and 13 passes defended.[28]

On January 10, 2021, in the NFC Wild Card Round against the Chicago Bears, Gardner-Johnson was involved in a scuffle with another Bears receiver, Anthony Miller. Miller was ejected for the fight while they both received unsportsmanlike conduct penalties.[29][30]

2021

Gardner-Johnson (#22) playing against the Washington Football Team in 2021.

Gardner-Johnson entered 2021 as a starting safety. He started seven games before being placed on injured reserve on November 13.[31] He was activated on December 11.[32] In a game at the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on December 19, 2021, Gardner-Johnson intercepted Tom Brady's pass intended for Scotty Miller late in the game to close out the 9–0 shutout victory.[33] He finished the 2021 season with two sacks, 46 total tackles, three interceptions, and seven passes defended.[34]

Philadelphia Eagles (first stint)

On August 30, 2022, the Saints traded Gardner-Johnson along with a 2025 seventh-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for a fifth-round pick and the lower of their two sixth-round picks in the 2024 NFL draft.[35] He started the first 11 games before suffering a lacerated kidney in Week 12.[36][37] He was placed on injured reserve on December 3, 2022, leading the league in interceptions.[38][39] He was activated from injured reserve on January 7, 2023.[40] He finished the 2022 season with one sack, 67 total tackles (61 solo), six interceptions, and eight passes defended.[41] Gardner-Johnson helped the Eagles reach Super Bowl LVII. In the Super Bowl, Gardner-Johnson recorded four tackles in the Eagles 38–35 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.[42]

Detroit Lions

On March 20, 2023, the Detroit Lions signed Gardner-Johnson to a one-year, $8 million contract.[43]

Gardner-Johnson suffered a non-contact leg injury during the start of Lions training camp on July 23, 2023. Despite fears of a potentially season-ending ligament injury, it was announced the next day after an MRI that Gardner-Johnson avoided structural damage and was "day-to-day" in his recovery.[44] In Week 2, he suffered a torn pectoral and was placed on injured reserve on September 19, 2023.[45]

On December 14, 2023, Gardner-Johnson was medically cleared to return to the field.[46] He was activated on January 6, 2024.[47]

Philadelphia Eagles (second stint)

On March 14, 2024, Gardner-Johnson signed a three-year contract to return to the Eagles.[48]

NFL career statistics

Regular season

Legend
Led the league
Bold Career high
Year Team Games Tackles Interceptions Fumbles
GP GS Comb Solo Ast Sck PD Int Yds Avg Lng TD FF FR TD
2019 NO 16 7 49 38 11 0.0 8 1 28 28 28 0 1 1 0
2020 NO 15 13 66 52 14 1.0 13 1 3 3 3 0 0 0 0
2021 NO 12 11 46 32 14 2.0 7 3 45 15 26 0 0 0 0
2022 PHI 12 12 67 61 6 1.0 8 6 54 9 25 0 0 0 0
2023 DET 3 2 17 16 1 0.0 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 –
2024 PHI 1 1 5 2 3 0.0 0 0 – – – – 0 0 –
Career 59 46 250 201 49 4.0 39 12 130 10.8 28 0 1 1 0

Postseason

Year Team Games Tackles Interceptions Fumbles
GP GS Comb Solo Ast Sck PD Int Yds Avg Lng TD FF FR TD
2019 NO 1 1 3 2 1 0.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2020 NO 2 2 10 7 3 0.0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2022 PHI 3 3 12 7 5 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2023 DET 2 1 8 5 3 0.0 0 1 12 12 12 0 0 0 0
Career 8 7 33 21 12 0.0 3 1 12 12 12 0 0 0 0

References

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  2. ^ "Gators DB Chauncey Gardner-Johnson honors stepfather with name change". www.mynews13.com. Archived from the original on March 30, 2023. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  3. ^ a b "Gardner MVP as Florida wins Outback Bowl". Florida Today. Associated Press. January 2, 2017. Archived from the original on September 26, 2020. Retrieved January 5, 2020. Former Cocoa High star Chauncey Gardner Jr., returned one of his two fourth-quarter interceptions 58 yards for a touchdown
  4. ^ Polacek, Scott (August 9, 2020). "Saints' Chauncey Gardner-Johnson Announces He's Changed His Name to Ceedy Duce". BleacherReport.com. Retrieved December 27, 2023.
  5. ^ Birkett, Dave (October 27, 2023). "Detroit Lions' C.J. Gardner-Johnson says he's officially changing his name to Ceedy Duce". USAToday.com. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
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