'Eight teams in four years': Mike Vrabel has perfect response to C.J. Gardner-Johnson's 'practice squad' remark 1
Efton Chism’s diving one-handed touchdown catch with 1:50 left capped a fourth-quarter comeback and gave the Patriots a 29-26 win in Buffalo on Sunday. It was the Bills’ first loss in their new Highmark Stadium, and Bills defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson spent part of his postgame session downplaying it.
“We’re not going to get into any bulletin board material,” Gardner-Johnson said. “An elevated guy made a hell of a catch, probably won’t hear from him again. … A practice squad player made a hell of a play. That’s all I’m going to tell you. You do it again, and he probably won’t make it again.”
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Feb 9, 2025; New Orleans, LA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson celebrates after defeating the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LIX at Ceasars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
He kept going: “They won the game, whatever. They didn’t do s—. They didn’t do s— better than us. We’ve got to play better. … They put up what, 20-something points? They barely scored. They struggled all game.” Gardner-Johnson, who finished with four tackles, also said, “The ball just fell their way today.”
Chism, an undrafted receiver out of Eastern Washington, has never been on an NFL practice squad. He made New England’s 53-man roster in 2025 and has appeared in 11 regular-season games, and Sunday’s catch was the seventh of his career. The Patriots did elevate two practice-squad players for Sunday, and both play in the secondary. Gardner-Johnson’s version of events demoted the player who beat his defense in the final two minutes.
#Patriots HC Mike Vrabel responds to #Bills DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson calling WR Efton Chism a practice-squad player: “For a guy that’s been on 8 teams in four years? I mean, I guess he knows the drill.” 💀 (🎥 @TheGregHillShow) https://t.co/XYAGzBx2Xr
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 5, 2026
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Dec 28, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Efton Chism III (86) celebrates his touchdown catch against the New York Jets with New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) during the second half of the game at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
How did Mike Vrabel respond to C.J. Gardner-Johnson?
Vrabel answered Monday on The Greg Hill Show on WEEI: “For a guy that’s been on 8 teams in four years? I mean, I guess he knows the drill.”
He also defended his receiver’s standing in the building. “He is very well respected. He practices,” Vrabel said. “Nobody logs more miles or yards or whatever we track than [Chism].”
Gardner-Johnson is on his fifth NFL team in the last two years, fewer than the eight in four Vrabel cited. That stretch included time on the Ravens’ practice squad in 2025 before he was let go after about a week. Of the two players in Sunday’s argument, he is the only one who has been on a practice squad.
New England’s 29 points on Sunday were a season high, and the Patriots piled up 405 yards, which leaves little room for Gardner-Johnson’s “barely scored” line.
Mike Vrabel Taunts Bills’ C.J. Gardner-JohnsonMike Vrabel Taunts Bills’ C.J. Gardner-Johnson
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Vrabel had his own heated moment in the game. He drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after reportedly telling a down judge it was “a f—ing terrible call.”
The Bills (3-1) and Patriots (2-2) meet again in Week 13 in Foxborough, and Gardner-Johnson already marked it: “We’ll be back to see them at the end of the year, so they better have that same energy.”