Detroit Lions' C.J. Gardner-Johnson defends Jared Goff online from Cam Newton critiques

Even though he's still a few weeks away from officially returning from his pectoral injury, Detroit Lions defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson is back playing defense for his teammates.

Gardner-Johnson, who hasn't played in a game since tearing his pectoral in the Week 2 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, tweeted a fiery response to a viral clip from Cam Newton where he said game managing quarterbacks like Detroit's Jared Goff were not true difference makers for their teams.

The brash and social media savvy Detroit defensive back offered his own critique to Newton's take, and asked the former Heisman Trophy and NFL MVP winner why he hasn't appeared in a game since 2021, in his second stint with the Carolina Panthers.

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The original clip came from Newton talking about San Francisco's Brock Purdy, who has become one of the favorites for NFL MVP despite being the very final pick of the 2022 draft. Newton, who won an MVP because of his one-of-a-kind arm strength, running power and speed in 2015, said Purdy and other "game managers" like Goff, Dallas' Dak Prescott and Miami's Tua Tagovailoa were not a key component to the team's success like other dynamic quarterbacks such as him.

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Goff has come under fire recently for his performances in the last month. He has nine turnovers in three games over the last four-game span, and Detroit has struggled with a 2-2 record during that same time. Head coach Dan Campbell reiterated his trust in Goff this week, but said the team doesn't have enough margin of error to afford the kind of mistakes he's produced of late.

Gardner-Johnson has hinted for a return from injury for weeks now, but coaches gave a positive update this week, too. He is expected to return from his injury sometime in late December or early January, according to Campbell. If he returns, he could provide a boost to a defense that's struggled with pass coverage in the second half of the season.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions' C.J. Gardner-Johnson defends Jared Goff online