Orchard Park, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - There's a saying in sports that goes, "Don't talk the talk if you can't walk the walk."
C.J. Gardner-Johnson does a lot of talking, but he was backing it up on Day 2 of mandatory minicamp on Wednesday.
During one 11-on-11 period, the Buffalo Bills safety had back-to-back breakups of Josh Allen passes.
First, after the ball was thrown into a tight window in the middle of field, Gardner-Johnson got his hands on it for, what probably should have been, an interception. He immediately dropped to the ground to do self-imposed pushups for not catching it.
On the very next play, Allen went right back after him on a deep shot. It looked like the veteran safety was beaten, but he made a great, athletic play to knock the ball down.
Later in the practice on a 4th-and-long situation, Allen just heaved the ball into the air, but Gardner-Johnson was the one to come down with it for the pick.
Gardner-Johnson, who has played for five teams in seven seasons - including winning a Super Bowl with the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024 - is known as a trash talker who likes to get under offensive players' skin. Bills teammates consistently use the same word when describing him: "Loud."
He certainly made his voice known after each of the three plays he made against Allen and the Bills offense on Wednesday.
After practice, he was asked about his teammates' perception of him. He agreed and explained where it comes from, and why it's a part of his game.
"Accountability. You gotta be able to make plays, be loud, and I feel like when we all make plays together, we can be loud together," Gardner-Johnson said. "I think that's what it comes from. So I think they're just seeing me out there juiced up, in the jazz. I love this game. It's a kid's game, grown men just get to play it.
"I think when you go out there on the grass, you've got to have the type of energy to have that love for the game. We may get caught up in the analytics and scores, the money and the accolades, but I feel like ultimate happiness on that field can be achieved by just going out there and being you. So being loud is just being me."
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