The Houston Texans went through the extraordinary step of releasing safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson after their 0-3 start, a move that caught some of his teammates off guard.
Mere days after the news broke that Gardner-Johnson was released due to struggles in picking up the Texans’ defensive scheme, fellow safety Jalen Pitre opened up about the veteran’s departure Friday.
Gardner-Johnson was acquired by the Texans from the Philadelphia Eagles shortly after he helped Philadelphia win the Super in February. The Texans parted with guard Kenyon Green and a fifth-round pick while also receiving a sixth-round draft pick in return.
Yet, the Texans were Gardner-Johnson’s fourth team in five seasons — not including two stints with the Eagles in that span, though he did play in two Super Bowls with Philadelphia.
CJGJ Release ‘The Nature Of The Business,’ per Jalen Pitre
Pitre has hardly missed snaps over his four-year tenure with the Texans, including this season where he has 75 percent of Houston’s plays on defense through three games.
Yet, when asked about the Texans letting go of a veteran who has played in multiple Super Bowls, Pitre was flummoxed.
“I was a little surprised,” Pitre told Aaron Wilson of KPRC. “It’s the nature of the business. It’s all about moving forward.”
Pitre was asked about reports that Gardner-Johnson both had been critical of Texans teammates and openly derided the organization. But Pitre pushed back against those tales.
“Any time I had any encounter with C.J., it was always welcoming, and he always had good energy,” Pitre said. “A lot of the things that people see on TV, the fired-up-ness, that’s the notion that I got from C.J.”
Pitre also said would be “a challenge” playing without Gardner-Johnson, who the Texans had come to count on. Gardner-Johnson had 15 tackles and played 202 snaps this year already.
Still, Pitre said the answers would come from the players in the Texans locker room.
“We have a lot of guys in the locker room that are very capable,” Pitre said. “It’s just about understanding and overall just executing.”
Jalen Pitre: Cam Ward Is ‘A Dynamic Playmaker’
The Texans have a great opportunity to win their first game of the 2025 season, since they will host the winless Tennessee Titans and rookie quarterback Cam Ward in just his second road start in the NFL.
Yet, Pitre has seen on film what Ward can do.
“Dynamic playmaker that can make all the throws,” Pitre said. “There’s a reason why the top pick, and it’s going to be a good challenge for us come Sunday.”
Contrary to Houston, which has just a minus-13 point differential amid its winless start, the Titans picked first in the draft in the spring and rank 28th in points per game (17.0) and 30th in in points-against per game (31.3). Tennessee was blitzed 41-20 by the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday.
Still, Pitre knows how he and the Texans are feeling — especially with a hellacious stretch of road games, at the Baltimore Ravens and Seattle Seahawks sandwiched around their Week 5 bye. Thus, he figures the Titans will come out with the same urgency.
“I know we’re hungry for a win, so I bet they are as well,” Pitre said.