Swifties Rejoice as Texans Release Controversial Player C.J. Gardner-Johnson

On September 23, the Houston Texans made headlines by releasing safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson after just three games with the team.

The decision sparked a wave of reactions from Taylor Swift fans, who felt vindicated following Gardner-Johnson's previous jabs at the pop star. “Oh tayvooodoo,” one fan quipped on X, referencing the term that encapsulates the perceived influence of Swift’s career on those who cross her.

Another fan chimed in with a GIF of Swift, exclaiming, “Ha Ha! That’s karma baby! 😂😏😂.” The release coincided with a resurgence of interest in Swift’s song “Karma,” with fans quoting lyrics like, “Karma’s a relaxing thought,” in response to the news.

Gardner-Johnson had previously stirred controversy among Swifties after his Super Bowl victory with the Philadelphia Eagles. Just moments after the Eagles triumphed over the Kansas City Chiefs in February, he took to Instagram to mock Swift, saying, “Should’ve Stayed with that thick s***,” alongside a photo of himself taunting Travis Kelce, Swift’s then-boyfriend.

This comment referenced Kelce’s ex-girlfriend Kayla Nicole, further igniting tensions between Gardner-Johnson and Swift's fanbase. At the Eagles’ victory parade, he escalated his antics by wearing a sweatshirt that read, “Swifties Can LIX My Balls,” a cheeky nod to Super Bowl LIX.

In retaliation, Swift fans targeted a Florida restaurant linked to Gardner-Johnson’s parents with negative reviews. “I have friends who were sending me the screenshots,” Delatron Johnson, Gardner-Johnson’s mother, recounted. “They were going, ‘Oh my God, look at this!’ And the first thing everyone said was, ‘The Swifties have attacked.’”

However, Delatron noted that their efforts were futile since the restaurant had closed prior to the Eagles’ Super Bowl win. “We’ve been dealing with this since he was a kid,” she remarked about her son’s reputation for trash-talking. “He talks the talk ’cause he can back it up. The same thing with his mother; I talk the talk because I can back it up.”

Ultimately, Gardner-Johnson's tenure with the Texans ended after an unimpressive start to the season, where the team went 0-3. In his three games, he recorded 15 tackles but failed to secure any interceptions or pass breakups.