C.J. Gardner-Johnson, the veteran safety now with the Buffalo Bills, has offered perspective on his surprising release by the Houston Texans early in the 2025 season.
Gardner-Johnson attributed the move to an incident during training camp at The Greenbrier, where he said a person not technically part of the organization — a close friend of Texans general manager Nick Caserio — called him a derogatory term.
According to Gardner-Johnson, the confrontation escalated when the individual allegedly spoke to the general manager, influencing the decision to cut him after just three games. He firmly denied being a disruption in the locker room, emphasizing that no teammates viewed him as a problem and insisting he provided no reasons for his release.
“If y’all going to cut me, cut me,” Gardner-Johnson told The Athletic. “But I’ll give nobody reasons to cut me. I haven’t. I don’t. I’m not a cancer. There’s nobody in this locker room that says, ‘Chauncey’s a problem.’ The media loves me. The only thing that’ll do it is something that triggers somebody that has a say in the building that can alter somebody else’s mind. That happens every time.
“That’s how I got (cut) in Houston. One person that’s not technically a part of the organization called me a B-word at Greenbrier. I get out my body; he says something to the GM, and the next thing I’m cut.”
The Texans acquired Gardner-Johnson via trade from the Eagles in the offseason, but released him on September 23 following a slow start to the season. Reports at the time cited scheme struggles and accountability issues, though the team declined to elaborate further.
Gardner-Johnson, a Super Bowl champion known for his playmaking and outspoken nature, has had brief stints with multiple teams. He maintains that his on-field contributions and leadership through actions should outweigh perceptions, as he looks to make an impact in Buffalo.
