Patriots Coach Mike Vrabel Fires Back at Bills' C.J. Gardner-Johnson After Efton Chism III Comments image
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Efton Chism III made a tremendous one-handed touchdown catch late in the fourth quarter of New England's 29-26 win over Buffalo on Sunday, but one Bills player quickly dismissed the impact of the Patriots wide receiver.
After the Bills suffered their first loss of the 2026 season, safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson told reporters that "an elevated guy made a hell of a catch," but he predicted that football fans "won't hear from him again."
"A practice squad player made a hell of a play," Gardner-Johnson said. "That's all I'm gonna tell you. You do it again, he probably won't make it again."
During an appearance on "The Greg Hill Show," Patriots coach Mike Vrabel addressed Gardner-Johnson's comments.
"For a guy that's been on eight teams in four years, I guess he knows the drill," Vrabel said.
Vrabel added some extra teams to Gardner-Johnson's list — he has played for six different teams since being drafted in 2019 — but his point was clear. It's also worth noting that Chism has never spent time on an NFL practice squad, while Gardner-Johnson was signed to the Ravens' practice squad in 2025.
After throwing a jab at Gardner-Johnson, Vrabel praised Chism, who finished with two catches on four targets for 42 yards and the game-winning touchdown against the Bills.
"Nobody works harder," Vrabel said. "You love to see players take advantage of opportunities, help the team win. He is very well respected. He practices. He's on the show team. He takes a million reps. Nobody logs more miles or yards or whatever we track than Chizz."
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