The Buffalo Bills are C.J. Gardner-Johnson’s seventh stop in the NFL. The Bills signed the 2019 NFL Draft fourth-round pick to a one-year contract worth up to $6 million. But that deal is now turning heavy on the reputation of the team, with Gardner-Johnson stealing the headlines, not for the right reason, of course.

Gardner-Johnson had already been in the spotlight because of the back-and-forth with Mike Vrabel. But the Buffalo Bills safety now lands in trouble during the face-off against the Los Angeles Rams on October 12. The clip that started doing rounds on social media showed the safety taking a hit on Los Angeles Rams tight end Tyler Higbee.

“CJ Gardner-Johnson absolutely rocks Higbee as he catches this ball. Refs threw a flag for a personal foul for hitting the head of Higbee,” posted Rate the Refs with a video on X.

Coming off Week 4, the NFL has been on a heater when it comes to fining players.  The NFL handed out a season-high 10 fines for player-safety violations in Week 4, with the infractions counting toward a potential suspension.

Ravens linebacker Trenton Simpson received a $17,911 fine for a horse-collar tackle. Hip-drop tackles also resulted in fines for five players: Adin Huntington of the Browns ($5,620), Jack Campbell of the Lions ($15,930), Minkah Fitzpatrick of the Jets ($17,911), Darrell Jackson of the Jets ($6,683), and Nick Emmanwori of the Seahawks ($14,648). Now Gardner-Johnson might undergo the same fate as the Houston Texans player. 

“Texans starting cornerback Kamari Lassiter was fined $13,659 for unnecessary roughness for contact to a defenseless player’s head and neck area, per a league source,” KPRC 2’s Aaron Wilson wrote on October 5.

On the field, Gardner-Johnson was flagged for a personal foul for a head-to-head hit.

While the fines will arrive later, analyst Ryan Young came with another update. 

“CJ Gardner-Johnson absolutely drilled Tyler Higbee there, and made huge contact with his helmet,” he wrote on X. “Higbee appears to be fine after the hit, but the penalty moved the Rams across midfield with a little more than two minutes left.”

When it comes to Gardner-Johnson, he has already been in the NFL’s bad books. 

They fined the Bills safety $11,194 for an unnecessary roughness violation stemming from Buffalo’s Week 2 victory against the Detroit Lions. 

The play came on the first snap of the third quarter, as Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs picked up two yards before being stopped by Gardner-Johnson. Although officials did not penalize the safety during the game, the league subsequently deemed the tackle a hip-drop violation.

Besides this, he has caught attention because of his trash-talking.

During the New England Patriots-Bills matchup, the Buffalo defensive back argued that the “better team lost” and also took a shot at Efton Chism III, who pulled off an unexpected highlight catch on New England’s game-winning touchdown.

“A [practice squad] guy made a helluva catch,” said Gardner-Johnson. “Probably won’t hear from him again, respectfully.”

All these on-field and off-field controversies combined, Gardner-Johnson had already fallen in the eyes of the fans. 

Fans Criticize C.J. Gardner-Johnson After Another Controversial Moment

The penalty tied to Detroit arrives less than three months after his career fines crossed $194,924, following 13 previous infractions. Buffalo considered his disciplinary record before ultimately deciding to take a chance on him. But they now must be regretting it as fans highlight how Gardner-Johnson is on a penalty streak.  

“CJ Gardner Johnson getting cooked in the end zone yet again,” wrote a fan. 

It’s not just that he is facing problems in Buffalo. “CJ Gardner-Johnson is by far one of the WORST defensive players I’ve ever seen,” wrote another fan. Gardner-Johnson faced $45,021 in fines from a single September 2024 game against New Orleans. Later, he received two separate fines of $22,511 each and was ejected during a matchup against Washington.

The fines trace back to Gardner-Johnson’s early career in New Orleans, which has led to a negative feeling among the fans. “Who’s the most insufferable NFL player currently playing? I’ll go first: C.J. Gardner-Johnson,” read another comment. 

A dispute with Bears receiver Javon Wims over a mouthpiece and a separate fight with Anthony Miller in a Wild Card matchup both added to his history. Fast forward to the Rams face off, fans also kept a tab on how he reacted after taking the hit. 

“The fact bro was celebrating after that 😭,” a fan shared his observation. 

Gardner-Johnson emerged as a top safety during his time with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022 and 2024, but he has struggled to maintain that standing since.

“He’s so beyond overrated,” wrote a fan. 

Time to see whether Gardner-Johnson’s pocket will feel lighter soon.