MVP. pic.twitter.com/71qnDJ6A4i
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) January 10, 2021
Here we go again: some after-the-whistle shenanigans between New Orleans Saints safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson and an opposing wideout resulted in a thrown punch and an ejection for Anthony Miller. What’s baffling is that this is the second time it’s happened this season, with Miller’s teammate Javon Wims having sucker-punched Gardner-Johnson in a meeting back in Week 8.
The second-year pro has a reputation as one of the NFL’s most tenacious chirpers, and it’s popped up again after he goaded Miller into committing a penalty that got him thrown from the game. But Gardner-Johnson was flagged, too, leading to a chat with his glowering coaches on the sidelines.
It’s just as unclear what Gardner-Johnson is saying to these opponents to get them so heated, but his own teammates aren’t immune to it; Michael Thomas was benched for a game after a scrap in practice with him. But it’s also uncertain what Gardner-Johnson heard from Sean Payton and defensive backs coach Aaron Glenn, who hit him with a withering stare on his way back to the bench.
Hopefully he can reel it in and avoid hurting his team. Gardner-Johnson’s antics have helped the Saints more often than not, but he’s flirting with disaster in playoff situations like this. The Saints have a very thin margin for error and the wrong words said at the wrong time could land them all in very hot water.
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