If the Indianapolis Colts are going to win the AFC South, then they likely are going to have to go through the Houston Texans to do it. Houston has a good young quarterback and a defensive-minded head coach who is going to make that side of the ball good. But the Texans might have just lost a key player.
According to multiple reports, defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson suffered what appears to be a torn Achilles in practice on Thursday. The 27-year-old player was going to start for Houston at strong safety, and was probably going to be a very impactful player for them in 2025.
In 2024 with the Philadelphia Eagles, Gardner-Johnson helped his team make a run to a Super Bowl title by having six interceptions, the second time in three seasons he had that many. He also had 12 passes defended with a solid quarterback rating allowed of 89.0.
Indianapolis Colts rival, the Houston Texans, appear to have lost C.J. Gardner-Johnson
According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Gardner-Johnson was the 14th-highest-graded safety in the NFL last year. His coverage grade ranked sixth. He was going to be a menace to the Colts in at least two games this coming season. But if the DB did tear his Achilles, he will miss the season.
That kind of injury could also last into next year's training camp, so he might not be able to return until some point during the 2026 season.
Texans DB CJ Gardner-Johnson was carted off the field this morning. The team fears he has torn his Achilles, which would sideline him for the remainder of the season. pic.twitter.com/l1Ejd7dwMJ
— Adam Schelfer (@AdamSche1fer) August 7, 2025
Of course, tests will be taken and reviewed, and then the Houston Texans will have a plan to move forward with or without C.J. Gardner-Johnson. Plus, no fan should ever want a player on another team to be hurt. If your favorite team beats another, you wouldn't want that team to have the excuse of a key player missing due to injury.
Still, the Indianapolis Colts are likely to play a lot of close games this season. The team is built that way: Be good on defense, have a strong running attack, and win games late. That's the hope. This means the playoff push could come down to a late-season matchup. The Colts play the Houston Texans in Week 18, the last game of the year. C.J. Gardner-Johnson is unlikely to be involved.