Taylor Swift fans are celebrating after NFL star C.J. Gardner-Johnson – who publicly mocked the singer following this year’s Super Bowl – was cut by the Houston Texans.
The outspoken 27-year-old safety, who joined the Texans this offseason after winning the Super Bowl with the Eagles in February, was released by the team on Tuesday.
Gardner-Johnson made headlines earlier this year when he appeared at the Eagles’ victory parade wearing a sweatshirt that read: ‘Swifties can LIX my balls’ – a pointed message aimed at Swift’s fanbase and her boyfriend Travis Kelce’s Super Bowl loss.
Just days earlier, he had also shared an Instagram story mocking Kelce and referencing his ex-girlfriend Kayla Nicole, a post many Swift fans viewed as body-shaming the pop superstar.
Now, with Gardner-Johnson’s NFL future uncertain, Swift’s loyal followers are celebrating the news across social media.
‘Karma is a beautiful thing,’ one Swiftie wrote on X, referencing the singer’s hit song.
Taylor Swift fans are celebrating the latest news surrounding CJ Gardner-Johnson
Swifties have had a disliking towards Garnder-Johnson ever since the Super Bowl
Another user shared a photo of the player wearing the offensive sweatshirt earlier this year, adding: ‘Life comes at you fast.’
Gardner-Johnson’s time in Houston was brief. The Texans had acquired him from the Eagles in a trade deal that included first-round draft pick Kenyon Green, hoping he would bring experience and energy to the defensive unit.
However, according to ESPN, the Florida native struggled in key moments over the first three games of the season, with several breakdowns in coverage leading directly to touchdowns for the opposing teams.
Speaking after his release, Texans head coach DeMeco Ryans said the defense had suffered from poor communication.
‘When you see a big play that happens on our defense, somewhere along the lines, there’s a bust in communication,’Ryans said.
‘It all starts with communication, and it hasn’t been as crisp as it needs to be. We see that. We have to make some adjustments there to make sure we get it corrected.’
According to KPRC2’s Aaron Wilson, Gardner-Johnson had been a disruptive voice behind the scenes, criticizing teammates in the secondary, questioning the size of one teammate’s contract, and expressing frustration with his own role.
After he was cut by the Texans, Swifties piled onto social media to make fun of him
He previously hit out at Kelce on social media over his personal life after the Super Bowl
He reportedly wanted to blitz more often and even requested a trade, while frequently comparing Houston’s situation to the Eagles’ 2023 Super Bowl-winning team, where he played a key role.
These complaints, combined with underwhelming on-field performance, ultimately led the Texans to release him less than six months after acquiring him.
Gardner-Johnson previously played alongside Jason Kelce -Travis Kelce’s brother – during his time in Philadelphia.
Swift, who recently got engaged to Kelce, has not publicly responded to the controversy.
