The Houston Texans got hit with a major injury, as star cornerback C.J. Gardner-Johnson had to be carted off the field in what appeared to be a leg injury.
Per reports, the injury is thought to be very severe, with one stating it is believed he suffered a torn Achilles.
NFL insider Adam Schefter reported on the injury, but stated that Gardner-Johnson is believed to have torn his Achilles, which would knock him out of the season.
"Texans DB CJ Gardner-Johnson was carted off the field this morning. The team fears he has torn his Achilles, which would sideline him for the remainder of the season," the post reads.
The Texans will do tests to determine the extent of the injury, but a torn Achilles would presumably knock Gardner-Johnson out for the 2025 season.
Gardner-Johnson joined the Texans after spending the 2024 season with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he secured a Super Bowl championship.
The ball-hawk defensive back secured six interceptions, one defensive touchdown, and 59 total tackles in the 2024 season.
Gardner-Johnson and a 2026 sixth-round draft pick were traded to the Texans for Kenyon Green and a 2025 fifth-round draft pick, in a rare player-for-player trade. He would have been the premier cornerback on the team, but could potentially be out for the remainder of the season.
The good news is though a torn Achilles does take months to recover from, Gardner-Johnson might not be out for the entirety of the season. There have been players who healed in time to attempt to make it back to the field.
Take Aaron Rodgers, for instance. The quarterback tore his Achilles in the first offensive series with the New York Jets in the 2023 season.
Rodgers claimed he was healed and could join the team if they made the playoffs, though that never materialized. Gardner-Johnson could follow the same practice and might heal in time to make it to the playoffs, should the Texans make it there.
Gardner-Johnson has yet to be confirmed to have torn his Achilles, so this is just speculation. It is also speculative that he could heal from such an injury that quickly, and that the Texans are guaranteed to make the playoffs.
Regardless, Gardner-Johnson being out for any extended period is a major loss for the Texans.
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