CJGJ = Problem Child?

[GoBills808]

8 minutes ago, machine gun kelly said:

Not accusing you of anything as you have your right to your opinion.  I truly hope you’re a real Bills fan.  Leonard, Beane, and Brady knew what they hired.  He’s also been in only one team at 9-8.  His other years are all playoff and SB teams.  Brady had no problem telling him to turn off the pod cast in the locker room.  What did he do?  Started a dorm podcast.  Means he’ll listen to his coach.

 

Im old school and not crazy about all of these self promotion podcasts, but I’ve accepted it.  If he keeps his trash talking to the opposition, and plays nice with teammates, then I can live with a mouth.

he doesn't even have to be nice to his teammates 

 

there is no 'culture' the same way there was no 'patriot way' or whatever bs NFL staffs and FOs try to imagine they've conjured up. winning or losing is the culture. this guy has a SB pedigree from one of the most consistently excellent teams in the league and they don't even pretend to like each other

[Sierra Foothills]

How it's playing in more national media (no paywall):

 

https://nypost.com/2026/07/29/sports/joe-brady-appears-to-shut-down-cj-gardner-johnsons-livestream/

 

 

 

 

 

This photo is from last year when he was with the Bears.

 

[gonzo1105]

I mean I really just need him to get through one year without headaches and either pass the job onto Kilgore or a veteran . He’s a stop gap guy who can still play at a high level if he has his head on straight 

[dave mcbride]

2 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

 

I disagree strongly on the bolded. But I also don't think it must be avoided at all costs. 

For what it's worth, Leonhard said yesterday in reference to CJGJ that he absolutely wants a guy who brings an edge and if it means a couple of penalties, so be it. Leonhard is a guy who flourished in Rex Ryan's defenses in both Baltimore and NY, and all of those units had a guy like that. Not saying I agree, but I did want to put it out there.

[Urban Achievers]

I’ll take a CJ and his antics all day over some of the Super Bowl winning felony level criminals.
 

But as other posters noted he’s already been demonstrating on field leadership and a strong performance so far. Time will tell but mixing up the culture is healthy IMO as long as the results are proven. 
 

ps I find this read encouraging as well 

https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/c-j-gardner-johnson-20-143415808.html

 

[SectionC3]

37 minutes ago, C.Biscuit97 said:

If they don’t turn the ball over 5 times, we don’t have to worry about the ref. It was 100% on the Bills. 

Both things are true.

[ToGoGo]

The tradeoff is talent vs bad chemistry.

 

The idea is that a great culture can sustain a George Pickens or an Antonio Brown or even an Aaron Hernandez for a period of time. 

 

We'll see if Brady can handle Gardner-Johnson. Diggs become an overwhelming cancer after a while. 

 

I do agree that in general I don't like bad apples and all this "shut up the reports from watered down Bills twitter are all positive" are always naive and in denial. I've never been a "hide problems underneath the rug" type of man. 

[Pre1236]

So far I absolutely love the guy. 

[Lost]

CJGJ is our new Tremaine Edmunds.  

[ToGoGo]

12 minutes ago, Pre1236 said:

So far I absolutely love the guy. 

 

 

In such a PR driven industry, I struggle to find one NFL player who doesn't do some sort of charity. My jaded mind suspects it is part of their NFL contract.

 

https://www.patriots.com/news/stefon-diggs-brings-diggs-deeper-foundation-s-mission-to-new-england-for-my-cause-my-cleats
https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/18327937/antonio-brown-pittsburgh-steelers-donates-100000-children-hospital-pittsburgh
https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/patriots-hernandez-makes-50k-donation-to-myra-kraft-fund-after-signing-extension/
https://www.neworleanssaints.com/news/harper-sharper-help-rebuild-katrina-hit-homes-2974676

[Don Otreply]

2 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

Not having enough guys with "edge" or whatever has had zero impact on us failing to win a championship. 

 

However, what HAS is not having enough guys with elite talent. If they have avoided adding elite talent because of character that has had an impact. But failing to have enough "edge" is not a reason.

I like many here appreciate your thoughtful posts,  In this case CJ GJ  is more talented than what we had last year and the year before at the position he will be playing…, if you want the talent you have to accept the human who has it to a great degree, that talent very often comes an edge, just look at the league as a whole, there have been lots of very talented players over the years that have had what is referred to as an edge, on and off the field, this we all know, and like CJ many of them have Super Bowl rings, which after all is the point of the exercise.
 

 

[HappyDays]

2 hours ago, GunnerBill said:

Not having enough guys with "edge" or whatever has had zero impact on us failing to win a championship. 

 

However, what HAS is not having enough guys with elite talent. If they have avoided adding elite talent because of character that has had an impact. But failing to have enough "edge" is not a reason.

 

I think there is some truth to the idea that the defense hasn't had enough of an edge in playoff games. It's been too passive/reactive. But I think that has been more philosophical than anything to do with the players on the field.

 

CJGJ's personality doesn't sway me either way. I'm glad we added him because he's a talented player at a position of need who we got for cheap because of his reputation. I don't think his "edge" on the field is going to be the reason the defense performs better (or worse). But I am happy we're taking a character risk on a talented player, which is something the previous coaching staff shied away from. And I think adding him does signal an overall shift from passive defense to attacking defense.

[paulmm3]

My general feeling about players is I could not care less about their personal attributes. I want to win. Most of the talk on CJGJ has focused on the person, and most of the discussion of his play has focused on physicality. But can he stop plays closer to the line of scrimmage than the next guy? I know PFF isn't perfect but for defensive backs it has generally lined up pretty well with my eye test. And PFF do not grade CJGJ's play highly at all. 86th of 98 eligible safeties last year.

 

I'm in favor of competition at safety and really at any position. But my expectations of CJGJ are more "can he or can he not win a starting job and be an improvement on last year" which I think is an open question. 

[3rdand12]

 I like him so far.

 And certainly hope to continue to do so 😉

[GunnerBill]

2 hours ago, SectionC3 said:

I disagree.  I lead in other areas of life.  Sometime you need someone to stand up and say “f this,” we’re gonna solve this problem or win this lawsuit or shut this down or whatever.  That person has to be able to deliver.  But it’s inspiring when you have people who are scared or uncertain or whatever to have that brashness and confidence.  

 

I disagree equally strongly.

1 hour ago, dave mcbride said:

For what it's worth, Leonhard said yesterday in reference to CJGJ that he absolutely wants a guy who brings an edge and if it means a couple of penalties, so be it. Leonhard is a guy who flourished in Rex Ryan's defenses in both Baltimore and NY, and all of those units had a guy like that. Not saying I agree, but I did want to put it out there.

 

Oh I believe it is a thing people think makes a difference. I just don't really believe that is true. It's placebo effect.

[GunnerBill]

49 minutes ago, Don Otreply said:

I like many here appreciate your thoughtful posts,  In this case CJ GJ  is more talented than what we had last year and the year before at the position he will be playing…, if you want the talent you have to accept the human who has it to a great degree, that talent very often comes an edge, just look at the league as a whole, there have been lots of very talented players over the years that have had what is referred to as an edge, on and off the field, this we all know, and like CJ many of them have Super Bowl rings, which after all is the point of the exercise.
 

 

 

I agree that you can't pass over talent because it has "edge". 100% agree with that. But that talent improves you because it is talented. Not because it has edge.

[Don Otreply]

Just now, GunnerBill said:

 

I agree that you can't pass over talent because it has "edge". 100% agree with that. But that talent improves you because it is talented. Not because it has edge.

I hear you, but very often one comes with the other, 

[eball]

2 hours ago, C.Biscuit97 said:

If they don’t turn the ball over 5 times, we don’t have to worry about the ref. It was 100% on the Bills. 

Statements like this completely ignore the ebb and flow of a game. You don’t turn the ball over five times at once to lose. When each play happens, and what occurs before and after, are critically important facts to understanding why a team wins and loses. 
 

I have zero doubt that McD’s panties were in a bunch in every close playoff game, and that rubbed off on the players. 

 

[ToGoGo]

8 minutes ago, eball said:

Statements like this completely ignore the ebb and flow of a game. You don’t turn the ball over five times at once to lose. When each play happens, and what occurs before and after, are critically important facts to understanding why a team wins and loses. 
 

I have zero doubt that McD’s panties were in a bunch in every close playoff game, and that rubbed off on the players. 

 

 

We know for sure that the refs panties were in a bunch the last few playoff losses. 

[Matt_In_NH]

Hoping for the best but don’t have a great feeling about him.