Alex Slitz/Getty Images
HOUSTON, TEXAS - SEPTEMBER 15: C.J. Gardner-Johnson #8 of the Houston Texans tackles Baker Mayfield #6 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the third quarter in the game at NRG Stadium on September 15, 2025 in Houston, Texas.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield isn’t backing down from his spat with Houston Texans safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson.
On Wednesday, Mayfield was asked about his tense exchange with Gardner-Johnson in the teams’ Week 2 matchup. His reply was quick and to the point.
“We don’t take any (stuff),” Mayfield told reporters. “That’s about it.”
Feud Was Ignited After Big Play by Mayfield
The beef between Mayfield, 30, and Gardner-Johnson, 27, dates back a few years, but it was reignited during the fourth quarter of Monday’s game.
Mayfield gave the Buccaneers a scare when he grabbed his left leg after being brought down on a 16-yard scramble. He stayed down momentarily before popping up to confront Gardner-Johnson. The two exchanged words and had to be separated.
Mayfield ultimately got the last laugh as the Buccaneers rallied for a 20-19 victory thanks to Rachaad White’s 2-yard touchdown run with six seconds remaining.
“He got the ‘dub,” Gardner-Johnson said after the game, via Landry Locker. “He made that great play, great competitor, he won the game for his team. Congrats to him. Onto the next.”
Mayfield, meanwhile, took a more sarcastic approach while describing the incident to reporters.
“Yeah, me and my buddy Chauncey in the open field,” Mayfield said while shaking his head.
Mayfield and Gardner-Johnson Feud is Nothing New
The two carried their feud over to social media Tuesday, with Mayfield posting images from the game on Instagram captioned, “Built different. 10 toes down.”
Gardner-Johnson clapped back, saying of Mayfield, “Boy this cute but still ringless.”
The tension between the two isn’t new. During the 2024 season when Gardner-Johnson was with the Lions, he taunted Mayfield leading up to an NFC playoff game. Gardner-Johnson praised the Buccaneers’ receivers, but suggested Mayfield was keeping them from reaching another level.
“If you give that Tampa group a good quarterback, that’s a great group. (Mike) Evans, (Chris) Godwin, (Russell) Gage, that’s a great group,” Gardner-Johnson said, via The Detroit Free Press. “I played against them for real.”
Unfortunately, the Buccaneers and Texans won’t meet again this season so Mayfield and Gardner-Johnson will have to wait to settle any on-field differences.