CJ Gardner-Johnson’s Injury Update

During a practice session in West Virginia, CJ Gardner-Johnson, a safety for the Houston Texans, was initially thought to have sustained a serious injury. However, recent reports suggest that his ACL is intact, though the team is conducting further tests to fully evaluate the situation.

It appears the team is not overly concerned about Gardner-Johnson’s ACL injury specifically.

Gardner-Johnson, aged 27, got hurt while attempting to tackle wide receiver John Metchie. After their collision, he fell and was unable to apply weight on his right leg, needing assistance from medical staff to leave the field.

Coach DeMeco Ryan expressed his concern, stating, “It’s heartbreaking to see a man getting off the field like that and not getting up right away.” He continued with some hesitation, mentioning how a head coach feels watching players fall and underscoring that there are no updates at this moment.

This will be Gardner-Johnson’s first season with the Texans, having been acquired from the Philadelphia Eagles in a trade involving left guard Kenyon Green. He was anticipated to step in as the starting free safety, especially after the team lost Eric Murray in free agency to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Gardner-Johnson had a notable performance last season with the Eagles, contributing significantly to their Super Bowl victory. In 16 regular-season games, he recorded six interceptions, along with 59 combined tackles and one forced fumble. His playoff performance was also strong, with 14 tackles across four games.