Former Houston Texans starting safety and 2025 offseason trade acquisition C.J. Gardner-Johnson did not hide his emotions after helping his new team–the Buffalo Bills to a 36-31 season-opening victory in his old stomping grounds.
“Ya’ll wanna spend money on C.J. now?!” Gardner-Johnson said before screaming the phrase two more times.
He also appeared to go for a Reggie Miller-esque choking sign but did not follow through.
Before the camera cuts off, Gardner-Johnson can be heard saying, “Man, f*** that–,” but it the scene goes black before he finishes his sentence as he and his Bills teammates made the joyous walk back to their locker room.
Gardner-Johnson made his sentiments about the Texans clear before the game, noting he was trying to avoid provide bulletin board material.
However, he also simply answered “next question” when asked about Stroud.
“Just focused on being a Bill,” Gardner Johnson told reporters on September 9. When you focus on the other s***, you give them bulletin-board material, I guess. I’m not really worried about them. They’re not worried about me. They got their team, we got our team. We focused on winning the game. My focus is on being a great Buffalo Bill for Sunday, and not really tuning into the extracurricular.”
Gardner-Johnson certainly contributed, finishing third on the Bills in total tackles with 8 combined stops. That would have tied Azeez Al-Shaair for the team lead on the Texans, who cut Gardner-Johnson three games into the 2025 regular season.
C.J. Stroud Defended C.J. Gardner-Johnson
It is unclear what sparked Gardner-Johnson to lash out at Stroud, whose 2 fumbles lost book-ended the Bills’ win from the Texans offense’s perspective.
Gardner-Johnson has been outspoken in opposition of the narrative around him over the past few years, and he has taken particular exception with what he framed as lies coming out about his time in Houston.
However, Stroud was among those who seemed to defend Gardner-Johnson after his exit.
“I don’t really think I felt like that or the team,” Stroud told reporters in September 2025, when asked when he felt Gardner-Johnson was not going to fit with the group. “I think they have their own reasons, Nick [Caserio] and DeMeco [Ryans]. And I think, as a team, we brought him in, and he was part of the locker room. “Our whole team is close. We all hang out with one another, pretty much. It’s sometimes defense, offense or DBs, quarterbacks or whatever. I thought he did well with his DBs and everything.
“It’s not really, you know, my my um position to speak on that. I like CeeDee as a person. I think he’s growing as a man. He’s trying to find a relationship with God, which I think is dope. So yeah, I wish him nothing but the best, and I’m going be here for him if he ever needs me. But yeah, I’m always going to be a fan of him.”
It sounds as though the appreciation was not mutual.
However, all that matters for Stroud and the Texans on Sunday is the loss. How this alters the organization’s outlook on Stroud long-term, if at all, as Gardner-Johnson suggested remains unclear.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson Does Not Hold Back on C.J. Stroud After Bills Beat Texans