Deebo Samuel, C.J. Gardner-Johnson exchange words regarding 49ers-Browns skirmish

Detroit Lions safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson shared his perspective on the pre-game skirmish between the San Francisco 49ers and Cleveland Browns on Sunday, suggesting that wide receiver Deebo Samuel backed away in the heat of the moment, requiring tackle Trent Williams to step in.

Samuel swiftly responded on Twitter (X), cautioning Gardner-Johnson, "Boy stop playing before you get a rewind of this….. boy sit down" accompanied by a clown emoji and a video of a previous scuffle between Gardner-Johnson and Chicago Bears wide receiver Javon Wims, which included exchanged punches.

Gardner-Johnson asserted that Williams couldn't save Samuel "when you see me ... ON AND OFF THE FIELD."

It's notable that Gardner-Johnson, before joining the Lions this season, was part of the Philadelphia Eagles team that beat the 49ers in last season's NFC Championship Game. This past offseason saw a substantial exchange of words between the two squads, with the 49ers believing they were the better team, only losing due to quarterback injuries.

Gardner-Johnson suffered a torn pectoral during a Week 2 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, the Lions' only loss of the season. Despite the severity of the injury, there's optimism within the organization for Gardner-Johnson's possible return this season, potentially for the playoffs.

Meanwhile, Samuel is dealing with an injury of his own. The receiver sustained a shoulder injury during the first quarter of Sunday's loss to the Browns. While X-rays were reportedly negative, Samuel will undergo an MRI to determine the extent of the injury.