Texans' C.J. Gardner-Johnson Reportedly Avoided Torn ACL Injury After Exiting Practice

Houston Texans safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson reportedly avoided a torn ACL after exiting Thursday's training camp practice, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

ESPN's Adam Schefter also reported that Gardner-Johnson did not tear his ACL and that he's still undergoing tests to determine the extent of the injury.

The news comes after reports from Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 and NFL Insider Jordan Schultz that stated Gardner-Johnson had torn his ACL.

ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime reported Gardner-Johnson was carted off the field after he "initially was laying on his stomach in pain as he smacked the floor."

Bien-Aime noted the defensive back "eventually rolled over" before he exited.

This is set to be Gardner-Johnson's first season with the Texans after they acquired him via trade from the Philadelphia Eagles in March.

The veteran made headlines earlier this offseason when he said during an appearance on The Pivot podcast (h/t Kevin Patra of NFL.com) the Eagles traded him because they were "scared of a competitor."

He also said he "retracts" a previous statement after saying Philadelphia "probably won't see a ring without me."

Despite the attention surrounding Gardner-Johnson's departure, he helped lead the Eagles to a Super Bowl title last season with 59 tackles, 12 passes defended, six interceptions, one forced fumble and one defensive touchdown.

It was an impressive bounce-back effort after injuries limited him to just three games during the 2023 campaign as a member of the Detroit Lions.

It also surely caught the eye of Houston, which is the fourth team of Gardner-Johnson's career. He played his first three seasons on the New Orleans Saints before leading the league with six interceptions in 2022 during his first stint with the Eagles.

The Texans are looking to take the next step as Super Bowl contenders after losing in the AFC Divisional Round the last two seasons, and Gardner-Johnson figures to be a veteran presence in a secondary that also features cornerback Derek Stingley Jr.

However, look for the AFC South contender to rely more on M.J. Stewart and Russ Yeast in his absence.