DETROIT – An injured Detroit Lions starter has healed “extremely quickly” and is nearing a return much sooner than anticipated.
Head coach Dan Campbell was asked Thursday about a report that safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson has been medically cleared to return.
Gardner-Johnson -- who says he changed his legal name to “Ceedy Duce” -- tore his pectoral in the second game of the season against the Seattle Seahawks. Initial reports kept open the possibility of a return sometime late in the season, but no concrete timeline was ever released.
About four weeks ago, Gardner-Johnson hinted during a social media stream that he might be close to a return. At the time, Campbell downplayed the possibility.
“Listen, I love (Gardner-Johnson), and I hope that this is, man, he’s going to heal his body, he’s going to will himself to be ready, but I just -- I don’t know if that’s going to happen in a couple of weeks,” Campbell said. “But, yeah, listen, I love the optimism.”
On Thursday, Campbell shared that optimism.
“Yeah, I got the same report, which is good news,” Campbell said. “It’s great news. It is back to what we said. He’s one of the X-Men. He’s got these mutant genes, because he has healed extremely quickly, and he’s gotten strength back. It is secure. So, yeah, he’s going to be ready to go here, pretty soon.”
Gardner-Johnson is one of two starting defensive backs who suffered long-term injuries, along with Emmanuel Moseley, who tore his ACL and is out for the season.
Detroit’s secondary has struggled mightily over the past month, and Gardner-Johnson’s return could give that unit a boost.
It won’t be this weekend against Denver, though.
“I promise you he won’t play this game,” Campbell said. “Brad (Holmes) and I need to talk about it, but it’s good news, and certainly the plan will be, ‘Let’s get him going ASAP.’ That would be the plan. Get him practicing. Getting his legs back under him. Get him in football shape. But that’s great news. This is a credit to him, too, now. He’s been working. He’s been working.”
Campbell didn’t shoot down the possibility of Gardner-Johnson rejoining practice next week. The Lions will finish the regular season with a trip to Minnesota, a trip to Dallas, and a home rematch against the Vikings.
