CJ Gardner-Johnson Says He Was Cut by the Texans Over a Fight With the GM’s Friend

CJ Gardner-Johnson has a new team, a new contract and a new story about why his time in Houston ended so fast. The veteran safety signed a one-year deal with the Bills worth up to $6 million, but before that he spent a few months telling anyone who would listen that the Texans let him go for reasons that had nothing to do with football.

According to Tim Graham of The Athletic, Gardner-Johnson said the team cut him after he got into an argument with a friend of general manager Nick Caserio. The incident happened during training camp at the Greenbrier resort in West Virginia. He claims the guy called him a slur, he reacted, and that was that.

“That’s a lie,” Gardner-Johnson said about the Texans’ official explanation. “I never said s*** about nobody’s contract. I’m on a $33 million deal. Why the f*** would I talk about somebody’s contract? … If y’all going to cut me, cut me. But I’ll give nobody reasons to cut me. I haven’t. I don’t. I’m not a cancer.”

When the Texans cut him back in 2024, they said the 28-year-old couldn’t pick up the defense and rubbed teammates the wrong way. The media narrative at the time was that Gardner-Johnson complained about his role, asked for trades and took shots at other guys’ contracts. He denies all of it.

“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,” he said. “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 Athletic also reported that the Texans declined to comment on Gardner-Johnson’s claims. Right now it’s a he-said-they-said situation with no evidence either way.

What is clear is that Gardner-Johnson landed on his feet. After getting cut by Houston, he signed with the Chicago Bears almost immediately. In 10 games (seven starts) for Chicago, he collected 51 tackles, three sacks, two interceptions and a forced fumble. Pretty good production for a guy they said couldn’t learn the playbook.

Now he’s in Buffalo trying to help a team that came a play short of the AFC Championship last season. If Gardner-Johnson plays the way he did for the Bears, the Bills might have gotten a steal. And if he still holds a grudge against the Texans, he’ll probably keep talking about it.