Zay Flowers learned the lesson that C.J. Gardner-Johnson didn’t on Sunday.
Hours after a needless penalty and a fumble by Flowers cost the Ravens a chance to make the AFC championship a one-possession game, Gardner-Johnson nearly cost the Lions with an inexplicable penalty of his own.
The safety delivered a blindside hit to 49ers WR Deebo Samuel as Malcolm Rodriguez was returning a Brock Purdy interception, drawing an obvious unnecessary roughness penalty and backing Detroit up 15 yards from the spot of the foul.
CJ Gardner Johnson backing up all that talk he had on Deebo Samuel 😂 pic.twitter.com/0MjAmCsVOE
— Packers Total Access- Clayton (@packers_access) January 29, 2024
Fortunately for Gardner-Johnson, he was able to avoid lasting embarrassment when the Lions’ offense made up the lost yardage and then some. Jahmyr Gibbs would barrel in for Detroit’s third touchdown of the first half, capitalizing on the turnover even after the setback.
The hit didn’t just come out of nowhere. Gardner-Johnson has had some beef with a handful of players over the years, and Samuel hasn’t been spared since the pair faced off in the NFC championship last season during Gardner-Johnson’s time with the Eagles.
MORE: What’s behind the Deebo Samuel-C.J. Gardner-Johnson feud?
While there was no obvious dispute between the two during the game, Samuel spent much of the offseason criticizing the Eagles. Samuel was adamant that San Francisco would’ve won if Brock Purdy didn’t suffer a serious elbow injury, going so far as to call the Eagles his “most hated team” in May.
Gardner-Johnson mocked Samuel after the 49ers receiver was involved in a scuffle with the Browns in Week 6, accusing Samuel of running away from the fight until teammate Trent Williams got involved.
Samuel followed up by threatening to give Gardner-Johnson a “rewind” of the punch Javon Wims once delivered to the then-Saints DB.
Boy stop playing before you get a rewind of this….. boy sit down 🤡 https://t.co/edPWZxLuA4 pic.twitter.com/IyFazDl0Ap
— Deebo (@19problemz) October 16, 2023
The two exchanged a few more barbs, with Gardner-Johnson calling Samuel a running back, and the feud manifested in what could’ve been a very costly cheap shot from the Lions’ fifth-year safety in the NFC title game.
