The Eagles absolutely dominated the Cowboys on Sunday, and the big plays started early when C.J. Gardner-Johnson scored the first points of the game with a pick six on the very first drive. He followed that up later in the game with a second interception, and in return, the safety was named the NFC Defensive Player of the Week for his performance.
This is the first time this season Gardner-Johnson had interceptions in back-to-back weeks, although his efforts were cut short in Week 16 against the Commanders. The Eagles’ safety was ejected after drawing two unsportsmanlike conduct flags, which was pretty impactful for the defense the rest of that game.
CJGJ spoke to reporters before and after the Cowboys game and took complete ownership over his actions the week prior, and said that he did a lot of learning during the days in between. He was humble enough to admit that it’s a team game, not a him game, and also acknowledged that he needs to be out there and available for his teammates.
He showed just how valuable he is throughout the game against Dallas, too, and always brings the energy for Philly’s defense.
This is the first time CJGJ has earned NFC Defensive Player of the Week, joining just a handful of other Eagles’ safety to get the honor, including Brian Dawkins, Malcolm Jenkins, Kurt Coleman, and Wes Hopkins.