Bills' Gardner-Johnson brushes off Chism III's game-winning catch vs. Patriots
The short version
- Drake Maye's 23-yard touchdown pass to Efton Chism III gave New England a win over Buffalo, the Bills' first loss of the season.
- CJ Gardner-Johnson called Chism a 'practice squad player' and said, 'Probably won't hear from him again.'
- The cornerback said the Patriots 'ain't do nothing crazy,' that they 'struggled all game,' and that Buffalo gave up 29 points.
- The report noted Chism has never been a practice squad player, while Gardner-Johnson spent time on Baltimore's practice squad last season.
Buffalo's CJ Gardner-Johnson dismissed Efton Chism III's game-winning catch as a one-off from a 'practice squad player' after New England ended the Bills' unbeaten start.
A 23-yard touchdown pass from Drake Maye to Efton Chism III gave the New England Patriots a win over the Buffalo Bills, a result that ended Buffalo's unbeaten start to the season. For a Patriots team in need of a victory, the throw-and-catch proved decisive.
The aftermath in Buffalo's locker room carried a different tone. According to the report, some Bills players declined to give New England credit for the victory. Cornerback CJ Gardner-Johnson, asked about the decisive play while speaking with reporters, made clear he was not impressed, and his answer drew attention for its dismissiveness.
Gardner-Johnson branded Chism a "practice squad player," describing him as an elevated player who came down with one excellent grab the cornerback does not expect to see repeated. In his view, the play will stand as the highlight of Chism's career. "Probably won't hear from him again," Gardner-Johnson said. "Respectfully." He added that he spoke with "a lot of confidence."
On the game as a whole, he was no more generous. "They ain't do nothing crazy," Gardner-Johnson said, admitting he was unsure of the exact down and distance — "three or something," by his recollection — and saying, "We're not going to get into bulletin board material." He granted that the catch itself was outstanding, but argued the Patriots never put their confidence in their best player, concluding that New England "won the game, whatever" and that Buffalo simply has to play better.
Gardner-Johnson also framed New England's performance as a struggle rather than a statement. He claimed the Patriots "struggled all game" and questioned the reaction to a team that, in his words, "only put up 20-something points." "We gave up 29 points, but it didn't feel like it if you ask me," he said of the Buffalo defense.
A rematch, he made clear, is already very much on his mind. Predicting the two teams would see each other again later in the year, Gardner-Johnson said, "They better have that same energy," and added, "They can mark that." He also pushed for perspective — "It's just one game, bro" — arguing that anyone judging the Bills should "judge it off a whole season," with more games still to come.
The report pointed out, however, that Gardner-Johnson's label missed the mark. Chism, it stated, has never in fact been a practice squad player for the Patriots or for any other club. Gardner-Johnson, by contrast, was signed to the Baltimore Ravens' practice squad last season, a detail the report highlighted alongside his critique of Chism's standing on the roster.
Next up on the Global Sportscast calendar: Czechia face England at Wembley Stadium on Tuesday, October 6, with kickoff set for 2:45 PM EDT and the match airing on FS2.
