C.J. Gardner-Johnson has become known for both his aggressive defense, along with his blunt takes off the field.
Put simply, the Chicago Bears defensive back never minces words. After Chicago’s 31-3 Week 15 rout of the Cleveland Browns, Gardner-Johnson was asked about Browns rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders, and his assessment was pretty much what you’d expect.
“It’s about time he ran into some problems,” CJGJ said about Sanders, per the Chicago Sun-Times. “He’s a great young player. They’re a great young group that’s playing hard, physical. He’s just going against a lot of vets that have something to play for. Sometimes you gotta teach a rookie how to stay in a rookie’s place.”
The Bears certainly made Sanders look like a rookie for much of the game.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Bears Defense Harassed Browns QB Shedeur Sanders All Afternoon
GettyBears DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson had some blunt words on Cleveland Browns quarterback Shedeur Sanders.
Behind a suffocating second-half defensive effort, the Bears overwhelmed Cleveland in all three phases of the game in the win, and they also gave Sanders his roughest professional outing to date. Chicago finished with three interceptions in the game, also sacking Sanders five times. The Bears ‘D’ held the Browns to just 192 total yards on a bitterly cold day along the lakefront.
The Bears wasted little time setting the tone. After forcing an early punt, Chicago’s offense marched 68 yards on its opening drive, capped by a short D’Andre Swift touchdown run. Quarterback Caleb Williams followed with another methodical scoring drive, finishing it with a quick strike to DJ Moore to make it 14–0 midway through the first quarter.
Later in the game, Bears linebacker D’Marco Jackson dropped into coverage and intercepted Sanders for the first pick of his NFL career, and the picks just kept on coming.
Bears cornerback Jaylon Johnson intercepted Sanders in the end zone on the Browns’ next drive, snuffing out any chance of a comeback. Gardner-Johnson delivered the final blow in the fourth quarter, jumping an intermediate route for Chicago’s third interception of the game.
Sanders finished the afternoon going 18-of-35 for 177 yards with three interceptions. Cleveland managed just 50 yards rushing, and converted only three third downs all game on offense.
CJGJ Has Brought Definite Spark to the Bears Defense
Since signing with the Bears, the veteran defensive back has given an undeniable jolt to Chicago’s defense. CJGJ has helped give the secondary more flexibility, as he can line up at safety, nickel and even linebacker depending on injury needs and matchups. Perhaps most importantly, he has brought an edge that has been evident both on the field and in the huddle.
In seven games with the Bears (five starts), Gardner-Johnson has 37 tackles (five for loss), 3.0 sacks, a forced fumble, three pass breakups and two interceptions. He has been burned in coverage a few times, but he has also made some clutch plays, and his leadership and moxie have been invaluable to the locker room.
Next up for Gardner-Johnson and the Bears are the rival Packers, who beat Chicago less than a few weeks ago. CJGJ had one of his two picks off Packers QB Jordan Love, so we’ll see if he can continue his streak.
Bears Starting DB Says Chicago Had to ‘Teach’ Shedeur Sanders a Lesson