Cowboys fans should rejoice: CJ Gardner-Johnson of the Lions will miss Week 17's game against them.

According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, safety CJ Gardner-Johnson will not play for the Detroit Lions against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 17, thus fans of the team will have to wait a little longer.

Gardner-Johnson sustained a torn pectoral muscle against the Seattle Seahawks back in Week 2. The 26-year-old played through the discomfort despite the injury, ending the game with eight total tackles (seven solo and one assisted). Gardner-Johnson recorded two passes defended and 13 total tackles in his two games with the Lions.

The safety has been given the all-clear to return to action early in December and has been practicing with Detroit, but the Lions appear to be taking extra care to ensure that Gardner-Johnson, who is making a comeback, is fully fit when he takes the field once more.

Gardner-Johnson’s contributions to the Lions
Gardner-Johnson spent three seasons with the New Orleans Saints before joining the Philadelphia Eagles in 2022–23, when he perhaps had his best season to date. Gardner-Johnson recorded 67 total tackles (61 solo and 6 assisted), eight passes defensed, and six interceptions in 12 regular season games. He recorded a total of 12 tackles in three postseason games, four of which were in the Eagles’ Super Bowl defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Gardner-Johnson has been hinting at his comeback on Instagram recently with a number of videos. Given the Lions’ recent winning season, this is not shocking. With an 11-3 record, Detroit is leading the NFC North for the first time in more than 30 years. The Lions hope to build on their two-game winning run, which included a crushing victory over the Denver Broncos in Week 15, as they prepare to take on the Cowboys.

The Lions will undoubtedly be a more threatening squad once CJ Gardner-Johnson returns, even though they are currently excellent.