Former Detroit Lions safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson has reportedly avoided serious injury after being carted off at Houston Texans’ practice on Thursday with an apparent leg injury.
The 27-year-old safety was attempting to tackle wide receiver John Metchie III when he went down in visible pain. Medical staff eventually carted him off the field after being unable to move his right leg.
Early reports from KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson and NFL Insider Jordan Schultz suggested Gardner-Johnson tore his ACL and would be out for the season.
However, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport reported that his ACL did not tear after undergoing more tests and ESPN’s Adam Schefter said it’s not out of the question he’ll be available for the Texans’ regular-season opener against the Los Angeles Rams.
Gardner-Johnson is in his first season with the Texans after being traded by the Philadelphia Eagles alongside a 2026 sixth-round pick in exchange for guard Kenyon Green and a 2025 fifth-rounder, during the offseason.
The 2019 fourth-round pick won last year’s Super Bowl with the Eagles, marking his second stint with the organization.
In between those seasons, Gardner-Johnson spent 2023 with the Lions after signing a fully guaranteed one-year, $6.5 million contract.
The season was defined by a torn pectoral muscle, which limited Gardner-Johnson to playing just six games, three in the regular season and three in the playoffs.
He finished the season with 29 total tackles and four pass deflections across regular season and playoffs.
Originally drafted in 2019 by the New Orleans Saints, Gardner-Johnson spent his first three seasons in New Orleans before moving teams for now his fourth straight season.
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