Detailed view of Buffalo Bills helmet on the field prior to the first quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at Highmark Stadium.
Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images.
Buffalo Bills safety CJ Gardner-Johnson exited Monday night’s Week 5 matchup vs. the Los Angeles Rams after suffering an apparent leg injury at SoFi Stadium.
The Bills were already missing several contributors, including wide receiver DJ Moore, before losing another member of their defense. Buffalo led 19-14 at the time of the injury.
MLFootball took to X, formerly Twitter, to share a clip of the veteran pointing to his knee while lying on the turf as medical personnel attended to him. The footage showed teammates nearby as trainers evaluated the safety.
AWFUL: #Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson appears to have suffered a serious leg injury.
Gardner-Johnson went down in a heap and immediately began pointing to his leg, desperately calling for medical attention.
One of the best guys in the league.
— MLFootball (@MLFootball) October 13, 2026
The injury followed a 34-yard catch and run that moved the Rams to Buffalo’s 15-yard line. Gardner-Johnson made the tackle on the play.
The defensive absences included linemen Ed Oliver and Landon Jackson, along with nickel corner Dee Alford. Buffalo also listed receivers Moore and Joshua Palmer among its inactives before kickoff.
Gardner-Johnson entered Monday with 18 combined tackles and one interception through four games. The 28-year-old joined the Bills in March after spending time with the New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia Eagles, Houston Texans and Chicago Bears.
Gardner-Johnson previously dealt with a lower right calf strain during August training camp, but returned before the start of the season.
The Saints selected the former Florida standout in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft, using the No. 105 overall pick. He is currently in his eighth NFL season.
A Josh Allen run moved the Bills inside the Rams’ 5-yard line with under two minutes remaining at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. Gardner-Johnson’s status remains uncertain, with Buffalo yet to announce a diagnosis or confirm whether he can return.