Deebo Samuel turns tables on CJ Gardner-Johnson, trolls Lions star after Detroit’s stunning meltdown
Deebo Samuel apparently kept the receipts at halftime of the NFC Championship game and didn't take long to expose them. Many around the NFL counted the San Francisco 49ers out when they were being dominated by the Detroit Lions and trailed 24-7 at halftime. The Lions were in complete control, but it was a major mistake to start treating the game like it was over already.
One of those who made this error - and later paid for it - was Lions defensive back CJ Gardner-Johnson. He is well known around the NFL for being a trash talker, as many players in his posittion are, and has been no stranger to drawing attention to himself for it. Gardner-Johnson was at it again during the NFC Championship game when he got ahead of himself in the second quarter.
When the Lions took a commanding 21-7 lead with less than six minutes remaining in the first half, he was seen on the sidelines waving "goodbye" to the 49ers fans. The game was being played at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, California, so most of the home crowd was filled with fans of San Francisco.
His waving to the crowd from the sideline was to signal that they could all go home because the Lions were eliminating the 49ers from the NFL Playoffs. He did so prematurely as Detroit epically collapsed in the second half to allow 27 consecutive points to San Francisco in an eventual 34-31 disastrous loss.
Deebo Samuel made sure to remind Gardner-Johnson of his poorly timed showboating and clown him for celebrating way too early. Waving goodbye is a common celebration for road teams who pull off a major upset, but doing so in the second quarter proved to be way too early.
In a quoted post of "CJGJ" waving to the crowd, Samuel gave this response via his X (formerly Twitter) account:
"Somebody go check on lil bruh"
CJ Gardner-Johnson thought he was about to upset the 49ers in their stadium for a second consecutive season. He was on the Philadelphia Eagles last season when they won in Santa Clara to punch their ticket to the Super Bowl.
Unfortunately for the Lions, they gave their ticket away in the second half, and Deebo Samuel made sure to troll him for his premature celebration.
Deebo Samuel's performance in the NFC Championship game
During the Divisional Round of the NFL Playoffs, Deebo Samuel suffered an alarming shoulder injury in the San Francisco 49ers' victory against the Green Bay Packers. The injury affected his practice activity all week long and his availability appeared to be in jeopardy. However, he was eventually cleared to play against the Detroit Lions in the Conference Championship game.
Samuel is absolutely crucial to the 49ers' offensive scheme due to his uniquely dynamic range of contributions. They were on full display again in this game as he totaled three carries, eight receptions, and 96 yards.
Maybe most importantly, he came away from the game with no new injuries, so he should be fully healthy for the Super Bowl against the Kansas City Chiefs in two weeks.