C.J. Gardner-Johnson takes aim at Detroit Lions fans, former teammates on social media

C.J. Gardner-Johnson, the former Detroit Lions safety known for his trash-talking ways, had some words for Lions fans in a series of now-deleted posts on social media.

Gardner-Johnson was a member of the Lions for just one season after he signed with the team as a free agent last offseason. He played sparingly in Detroit's secondary after suffering a torn pectoral muscle in the second week of the season and returned to a rotational role at safety during the playoff run. Gardner-Johnson did not re-sign with the Lions in free agency, instead opting to return to the Philadelphia Eagles on a three-year deal.

He became a fan favorite early in his time in Detroit, even encouraging fans to show up to Ford Field in blue ski masks, but now has turned his aim at Lions fans after his exit, something he also did after leaving Philadelphia.

Gardner-Johnson tweeted "Lions fans quick to turn! But Ima hush up" with a laughing and yawning emoji and followed that post by saying "city legend though, definitely can ask any East or West side resident! So quick playing on my name 'fans'".

Both posts were deleted shortly after he posted them, but Gardner-Johnson shared the second tweet to Instagram and expanded on the message. On his Instagram story, Gardner-Johnson added, "Tired of these Detroit fans... Let's set the record straight ONLY ME & @bigsgjamo (Jameson Williams' Instagram) had the streets of Detroit behind us... All the other guys on the team was scared to go outside to kick it (with) the city." The Instagram story has also since been deleted from his page.

Gardner-Johnson appeared in three regular-season games for the Lions, including two starts, and appeared in all three of Detroit's playoff games in the run to the NFC championship game this season. In his six total appearances, Gardner-Johnson finished with two interceptions, four passes defended and 29 total tackles.

He will now re-join the Eagles, and he had plenty to say about them last year after he decided to leave in free agency when signing with Detroit. Gardner-Johnson appears to have mended fences with the Philly faithful online while repeating the same pattern with Detroit fans now.

Though he was out for most of last season, Philadelphia committed to Gardner-Johnson for the foreseeable future with a three-year, $27 million deal, with a max value of $33 million. That's compared to the one-year deal reportedly worth $8 million that he signed with the Lions last offseason.

The Lions are still in the market for help at both cornerback and safety, according to head coach Dan Campbell, which could be addressed in a second wave of free agency or through the draft, hosted in downtown Detroit, at the end of April.

So far this offseason, Detroit has traded for Carlton Davis and signed Amik Robertson, both cornerbacks, to add to the secondary consisting of Brian Branch, Ifeatu Melifonwu, Kerby Joseph and Kindle Vildor. The Lions had an unexpected departure in the back end after the team released Cam Sutton following a warrant for his arrest in a domestic battery case in Florida.