Not long after winning the Super Bowl, the Philadelphia Eagles had two of their key players on the defensive side of the ball generating some tension.
It all started when the seasoned veteran Darius Slay, who assessed the state of the Eagles’ secondary leadership, left out CJ Gardner-Johnson’s name while making his comments.
Reed Blankenship got credit for being the team’s leader in the eyes of Slay. Not long after those comments went public, Gardner-Johnson made a social media post that raised eyebrows.
“You would think feelings would be mutual after a great season,” Gardner-Johnson wrote on social media. “Aye, twin, keep that [expletive] solid.”
Was it a shot? Gardner-Johnson followed up by stating that his post was “nothing about” the Eagles. He also added that everything was “good.” Darius Slay publicly claimed that there was no bad blood between Gardner-Johnson and him. Still, the fans weren’t buying it.
Fast forward a few months later, and Gardner-Johnson felt he needed to address the situation one more time. In a sit-down with Click2Houston’s Aaron Wilson, Gardner-Johnson cleared the air.
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“Let’s clear this Slay (stuff) up now,” he said. “I got no problem with him. He’s a respectable vet. I ain’t never going to hate on someone like that. When that real Florida (personality) walk in that building, they know.”
At this point, Gardner-Johnson and Slay have gone their separate ways. Neither will suit up for the Eagles next season, as they’ve found themselves in different situations.
Although Gardner-Johnson expected to play a few more seasons in Philadelphia after signing a multi-year deal with the team last year, the Eagles traded away the star safety to the Houston Texans.
Gardner-Johnson first joined the Eagles ahead of the 2022 NFL season. He was traded from the New Orleans Saints after his first three seasons in the NFL. Following a one-year run with the Eagles, Gardner-Johnson signed with the Detroit Lions in free agency.
When Gardner-Johnson returned to the Eagles during the 2024 free agency period, he inked a three-year deal. After one season, the veteran safety was traded to the Texans alongside a 2026 sixth-round pick in exchange for Kenyon Green and a 2025 fifth-round pick.
As for Slay, he hit the free agency market with intentions of playing at least one more season. While the possibility of returning to the Eagles wasn’t ruled out, Slay ultimately signed a deal with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He’ll play at least one more season with the Eagles’ Pennsylvania neighbor.
Meanwhile, the Eagles will move on with their young secondary, searching for the same success they had throughout the 2024 season. While Slay and Gardner-Johnson played important roles in the Super Bowl run, the team figures they can continue to find success without them.
