As the Detroit Lions head into the offseason after missing out on the Super Bowl, losing in the NFC divisional round to the Washington Commanders, one former player of theirs goes scorched Earth on the team. As the Philadelphia Eagles will compete in Super Bowl 59 against the Kansas City Chiefs, their defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson used to play for the Lions as he speaks bluntly about his time.
Gardner-Johnson would not hold back when talking about his time with the Lions, saying it was “hell” according to The Detroit Free Press.
“It was hell,” Gardner-Johnson said. “I got lied to, so it was, whatever. I got told, respectfully, I was going to get brought back and didn’t get brought back. And offseason went real for me, signing back here because I wasn’t really tripping on it. It all worked out.”
It was no doubt a frustrating season for Gardner-Johnson in Detroit as he missed most of the season due to a torn pectoral muscle in Week 2. However, he would mark it as a season that was one to forget while doubling down on his eye-opening phrasing before.
“I got back on the field and I got to play ball,” Gardner-Johnson said, who's about to play in the Super Bowl. “Truthfully, like in Detroit it was hell, I went there just to — OK, when I got hurt I was like, ‘(Expletive) it.’ Truthfully. That's why I didn't go rehab there.”
For the injury, he would even rehab in Florida since he didn't see a future with Detroit.
Former Lions star C.J. Gardner-Johnson keeps it real on former team
As the Lions go through their own changes in losing both coordinators Ben Johnson and Aaron Glenn, Gardner-Johnson was on the team last season only on a one-year deal since he couldn't get a long contract with Philadelphia.
“I was on a one-year deal, so it was like there was no point unless they were really bringing me back,” he said. “By the time midseason came and I was getting healthy, they wasn’t trying to extend me, I’m like, ‘I'm cool.’”
He also aimed at the fans, saying in a now-deleted post on social media before that he was “tired” of the fans harassing him and even pointed out that some players on the team were “scared” to hang in the city.
“It’s true,” Gardner-Johnson said. “Like, when you playing for teams like Detroit, New Orleans, and Philly, you got to be able to get outside and adapt with the culture. There's only a couple of guys in that locker room that did it. It's not like a derogatory statement, it's just being honest. I got so much love cause I'm actually out in the city and enjoying people, the culture, the music, the food. There’s only a couple people can do that.”
Apparently, Gardner-Johnson was under the belief that the team was going to re-sign after the season but changed their minds after the playoffs. He was asked by the publication of who mispoke the truth and he responded “Everybody.”
“It was just certain people at front office that just, business is business,” Gardner-Johnson said. “Whatever. I’m not upset.”
Detroit is coming off a 15-2 season where they won the NFC North, but lost in the NFC title game.
