PHILADELPHIA — Eagles safety CJ Gardner-Johnson will be sidelined indefinitely with a torn kidney, a league source confirmed.
The source added that no decision has yet been made on whether to place him on injured reserve as they work on a timetable for his return.
Gardner Johnson was injured after a collision with Green Bay receiver Christian Watson late in the first quarter of the Eagles’ game against the Packers on Sunday night. He rolled over in pain as he left the field, then was pushed into the field and did not return to the game.
Gardner-Johnson was replaced by undrafted rookie Reid Blankenship, who intercepted Aaron Rodgers in the red zone early in the second quarter of the Eagles’ 40-33 win.
NFL Network first reported Gardner-Johnson’s injury.
Blankenship has earned his place in the squad after a strong summer and was outstanding on Sunday night. Still, losing Gardner Johnson means a lot to the Hawks. He led the league in interceptions with six and was one of the top playmakers for the Eagles’ No. 1 defense. 1 in NFL takeaways with 23.
The Hawks acquired Gardner Johnson and a 2025 seventh-round pick, a 2023 fifth-round pick and the latter of two 2024 sixth-round picks from the New Orleans Saints in August.
Before that acquisition, safety was widely considered the most questionable position on the rest of the load list.
Gardner-Johnson, 24, made a successful transition from corner to safety upon his arrival in Philadelphia. In three-plus seasons with the Saints and Eagles, he had 11 interceptions and 36 pass defenses.