The long and winding road that’s become the NFL career of Super Bowl champion safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson added another chapter when the former NFL interceptions leader was released by the Baltimore Ravens.
Gardner-Johnson’s tenure with the Ravens was brief. He was signed to their practice squad on October 7 — one day before Baltimore traded for Los Angeles Chargers safety Alohi Gilman on October 8.
“Ravens are releasing S Chauncey Gardner-Johnson after the safety’s agent Kevin Conner and Ravens officials came to ‘an amicable mutual decision’, per Conner,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter wrote on his official X account on October 14. “ ‘After the Ravens traded for a safety, we were looking for a clearer path to play,’ Conner added.”
The Ravens entered the season as AFC favorites but have plummeted to a 1-5 start and seen their defense become an NFL laughingstock.
“The Ravens are in need of a safety as their star Kyle Hamilton is currently questionable with a hamstring injury,” Sports Illustrated’s Madison Williams wrote on October 7. “He missed this past Sunday’s contest vs. the Texans, which Baltimore lost 44-10 in a blowout … Gardner-Johnson could get elevated from the practice squad in time for this Sunday’s game vs. the Rams, especially if Hamilton isn’t ready to return to the field.”
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Unwitting Journeyman Phase of Career
Gardner-Johnson could be headed for his sixth team in 5 seasons after time with the New Orleans Saints, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans and Eagles.
Gardner-Johnson won a Super Bowl with the Eagles following the 2024 season and led the NFL in interceptions in 2022 while also with the Eagles.
While Gardner-Johnson is a high impact player — see his 12 interceptions in 2 seasons with the Eagles — but he’s also been a constant stream of behavioral issues that can impact both winning and losing and locker room chemistry.
While the Eagles signed Gardner-Johnson to a 3-year, $27 million contract in March 2024, it’s not hard to parse the reason they traded him to the Texans one year later — in his one season return to Philly he was fined 6 times for taunting and illegal hits.
After just 3 games with the Texans in 2025 he was released.
“Among the issues Texans experienced behind the scenes with Gardner–Johnson, per sources, were that he was critical of teammates in the secondary and didn’t like his role,” Houston KPRC’s Aaron Wilson wrote on his official X account. “It was a locker room issue and ultimately this just wasn’t a good fit for the team and for a talented player … after friction behind the scenes with him complaining about his role, wanting to blitz more, per league sources, and even communicating that he wanted to be traded. It didn’t work out for him here.”
Ravens Have Much Needed Bye in Week 7
The Ravens get a brief respite from their woes with a Week 7 bye before returning to the grinder with a home game against the red hot Chicago Bears in Week 8.
While most teams would think their season was pretty much cooked after getting off to a 1-5 start — the Ravens shouldn’t think that way. The main reason for optimism is that they have a ton of talent headed back to the lineup after being out with injuries — most notably 2-time NFL MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson and tight end Isaiah Likely.
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