“Don’t be friendly when you see me… ‘cuz I can guard you. You can’t run routes. You’re a running back. You’re a running back,” Gardner-Johnson said on his social media account.
He continued, “People gave you a little clout, man, you ain’t nothing, bro, stop playin’.”
Detroit Lions vs. Philadephia Eagles; Gardner-Johnson vs. Samuel
C.J. Gardner-Johnson spent the 2022 season with the Philadelphia Eagles, co-leading the NFL in interceptions and playing a significant role in the team’s run to the Super Bowl. The five-foot-eleven safety squared off against the San Francisco 49ers and Deebo Samuel in the NFC Championship, with the Eagles pulling off the win 31-7. Gardner-Johnson had five tackles in the win. However, the 49ers operated without a true quarterback for most of the game, with starter Brock Purdy and backup Josh Johnson leaving the game with injuries. Running back Christian McCaffrey was forced into action as the emergency QB. The unforeseen circumstances led to Deebo Samuel voicing his belief that his squad would have won the game if healthy.
“Just wait until Week 13. We’ll show you,” said Samuel on a radio show earlier this year.
Samuel has also voiced frustration with the Philadelphia fans.
“All the trash talk coming from the Eagles fanbase and the players, you just get tired of that… We lost because we played with ten people.”
Deebo Samuel Looks to Get Revenge in Week 13
The Detroit Lions will not face the San Francisco 49ers in the regular season. However, they have a realistic chance of squaring off this postseason. San Francisco is in first place in the NFC West, while the Detroit Lions, at 5-1, lead the second-place Green Bay Packers in the NFC North by 2.5 games. Meanwhile, Deebo Samuel will have his chance at vengeance in Week 13 when the Eagles host the 49ers. However, the wideout left last Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns with a shoulder injury. Samuel remains day-to-day, but head coach Kyle Shanahan says it is not considered a long-term issue.
The Philadelphia secondary has gotten gashed this season, allowing 1,393 yards and 11 touchdowns against two picks in six games.
Conversely, Samuel has 20 receptions for 302 yards and one touchdown. He’s also ran the ball 18 times for 95 yards and a touchdown. Samuel had just 864 yards from scrimmage in 2022, a far cry from his 1,770 during his All-Pro year in 2021.