Detroit's C.J. Gardner-Johnson Trolls Baker Mayfield After Intercepting His Pass

Detroit Lions safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson came ready to play in the NFC Divisional Round.

Today marks the first time Detroit has hosted a Divisional Round matchup at Ford Field in franchise history. The Lions, an underdog for most of their history, welcomed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, an underdogs this season.

Naturally, fans at Ford Field were buzzing pregame.

However, it took a while for Detroit to give the fans something to cheer about during the game itself. After receiving the opening kickoff, the Lions mustered an uneventful three-and-out.

But Gardner- Johnson didn’t keep fans waiting for too long. On the Buccaneers first offensive drive, quarterback Baker Mayfield dropped back on a 3rd-and-17. 

He fired a dart to wide receiver Mike Evans, one of the top players in the league. Inexplicably, Evans let the ball bounce off his hands to a waiting Gardner-Johnson.

After the safety corralled the ball, he rushed upfield for a 12-yard gain before getting pushed out of bounds. 

Once he stepped out of play, he briefly crossed paths with Mayfield, who ran in that direction after the pick. In a brief moment of gamesmanship genius, Gardner-Johnson flipped the ball back to the quarterback and exchanged a few words as he left.

It is on in the Motor City. After getting their first playoff win in 32 years, the Lions are prowling for another victory. And if Gardner-Johnson’s actions are any indication. They’re fully ready for a battle with the Bucs.

Detroit leads 10-3 in the second quarter.