Ahead of their preseason opener against the Minnesota Vikings, the Houston Texans received some good news on injured safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson.
Texans Receive Update on C.J. Gardner-Johnson Ahead of Preseason Opener originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
A day after fearing he was lost for the season with a torn ACL, it appears Texans safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson may return much sooner than expected.
According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, further testing on Gardner-Johnson's knee revealed the injury wasn't as serious as originally thought and the 27-year old could return as early as Week 1 against the Los Angeles Rams.
Further testing revealed that Texans safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson’s knee injury isn’t as serious as it could have been, and it’s not out of the question that he could be back as soon as the regular-season opener vs. the Rams.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 8, 2025
Gardner-Johnson was carted off the field after injuring his knee during practice Thursday at the Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia. He was attempting to tackle wide receiver John Metchie III. After making contact, he fell to the ground and couldn't move his lower right leg. Initially, Gardner-Johnson was thought to have torn his ACL, however, ensuing reports suggested the ligament was intact.
“It’s heartbreaking when you see a guy go down on a field like that and doesn’t get up quickly,” Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said afterward. “I’m always nervous as a head coach anytime I see anybody hit the ground, it’s tough to watch.”
The Texans traded guard Kenyon Green to the Philadelphia Eagles in March for Gardner-Johnson. The move was to replace Eric Murray, who signed with the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason.
Gardner-Johnson recorded 35 combined tackles and six interceptions on the way to winning a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles last season. Since the start of the 2022 season, he has a total 13 picks, more than any player.
If Gardner-Johnson were to miss any time, the Texans would likely turn to veteran M.J. Stewart, who spent time with the first team defense following Gardner-Johnson's injury. Another option could be the versatile Myles Bryant, a former starter for the New England Patriots who the Texans signed this offseason.
“Myles, he shows up every day,” Ryans said. “Myles, he does a lot for us. He’s a utility guy. He can play on the outside at corner, nickel, safety, moves around a lot of positions.”
The Texans begin preseason play Saturday afternoon against the Minnesota Vikings. They open the regular season on September 7 against the Rams.
Related: Texans Release Unofficial Depth Chart Ahead of Preseason Opener Against Vikings
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Aug 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
Category: Football