A player leaving the Eagles and then returning is not common. DeSean Jackson and Nick Foles were two of the greatest to have a re-run in Philadelphia, most recently.
Fans favoured Jackson, and Foles contributed to the Eagles’ historic first-ever Super Bowl victory.
Is Gardner-Johnson capable of writing a tale as compelling as Jackson’s or surpassing Foles in the Super Bowl?
He’s under contract for three years to try his hand at one or both, ideally both.
After general manager Howie Roseman traded for him just before the 2022 season, he and the Eagles were unable to come to an agreement on a new deal, and he already vented to the fans last July after leaving for the Detroit Lions in free agency.
“Take your feelings out of it, and just … be a man about certain things, and accept certain things as a man,” he said on Friday, a day after his signing was officially announced.
“Coming back was like a relief because I’m familiar with the people here, with the players. I’m comfortable. So, the difference from last year to this year is we both saw eye to eye.”
Perhaps even water under the bridge when it comes to a fan base he ripped last July, saying in a live stream social media feed: “My least favorite thing … is the people. They’re (bleeping) obnoxious, I (bleeping) can’t stand the (bleepers).”
CJGJ took two shots at apologizing, though never actually using the words, ‘I am sorry.’
He wrote on social media: “I do owe the fans of Philly an apology. Regardless, this is an amazing place and we had some memories together! Let’s go get us one #FlyEaglesFly.”
On Friday when asked again about an apology he went a bit deeper.
“I’m obnoxious,” he said. “I thought it was a compliment, to be honest with you. I mean, all jokes aside, that was just my feelings. You want to be somewhere so bad, to the point where you can’t control certain things. So certain things were said, but there was no meaning to it. I’m back, so I guess we’re all happy. Family reunion, huh?”
Gardner-Johnson is still just 26, and, in a candid interview days before Super Bowl LVII in Phoenix, he talked to SI Eagles Today about what his one season in Philly had been like. And he chose to focus on his growth as a person.
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