There will be plenty of bad blood in the water the next time the Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots do battle this season.
The Patriots (2-2) turned around their season with a big 29-26 win on the road against the Bills (3-1) at Highmark Stadium in Week 4. Playing a massive part in that effort for the Pats was wide receiver Efton Chism, who had the game-winning score on a one-handed catch.
And for some reason, Bills safety CJ Gardner-Johnson decided to throw stones in a glass house.
Gardner-Johnson decided to call out Chism after the game by saying he's never going to do that again... and then some. He suggested Chism is nothing more than a practice squad player.
“A (practice squad) guy made a helluva catch. Probably won’t happen to him again,
respectfully,” Gardner-Johnson said.
That problem for Gardner-Johnson is that the comment is factually wrong. An undrafted rookie free agent signee of the Patriots after the 2025 NFL Draft, Chism has stuck around in New England since then--and never on the practice squad. Always on the Patriots' 53-man roster.
Meanwhile, many have since pointed out Gardner-Johnson has been on a NFL practice squad in his career.
In addition, Gardner-Johnson's track record of changing teams so often has also been called out... including by New England head coach Mike Vrabel.
Vrabel said on his Monday morning spot on WEEI radio that Gardner-Johnson should "know the drill" referencing his history of changing teams throughout his career.
For those curious, the Bills and Patriots will next do battle in Week 13.
Vrabel's full comments can be found in the clip below:
#Patriots HC Mike Vrabel responds to #Bills DB C.J. Gardner-Johnson calling WR Efton Chism a practice-squad player:
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) October 5, 2026
“For a guy that’s been on 8 teams in four years? I mean, I guess he knows the drill.” 💀
(🎥 @TheGregHillShow) pic.twitter.com/XYAGzBx2Xr
This article originally appeared on Bills Wire: Patriots coach Mike Vrabel has harsh response to comments from Bills' CJ Gardner-Johnson
