Philadelphia Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson put the Birds up 7-0 with a 70 yard pick six off Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush

PHILADELPHIA - Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson was named NFL Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in a 41-7 rout over Dallas that clinched the NF

Philadelphia Eagles' defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson undercuts a short throw from Dallas Cowboys' quarterback Cooper Rush, intercepts it and takes it 69 yards to the end zone for his first NFL touchdown.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson, shall we say, is known for being emotional. That got the best of him vs. the Washington Commanders in Week 16, leading to his ejection ( and another emotional outburst ). He was fined $45,022 as a result, but how about that bounce-back versus the Dallas Cowboys? It appears Birds fans aren't the only people who noticed.

Gardner-Johnson jumped a Cooper Rush pass intended for receiver Brandin Cooks, secured the pick and then raced down the right sideline for the score to put Philadelphia up 7-0. It marked Philadelphia's first defensive touchdown of the season.

Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson was fined $22,511 for each of his unsportsmanlike conduct penalties against the Commanders last week. Not only did Gardner-Johnson get tossed from that game but his fines total $45,022 for the afternoon.

Philadelphia Eagles defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson was fined $45,022 for two personal fouls in Week 16 loss to the Washington Commanders

On the Cowboys' opening possession, quarterback Cooper Rush completed a seven-yard pass and a 16-yard pass against Philadelphia’s secondary, moving Dallas to the Eagles' 35-yard line. Dallas' promising drive ended when Gardner-Johnson intercepted Rush on third-and-3 and returned it for a 69-yard touchdown, giving the Eagles a 7-0 lead.

SportsLine's model revealed its NFL picks for Green Bay vs. Philadelphia on Sunday during NFL Wild Card Weekend 2025

Green Bay QB Jordan Love suffered an elbow injury, but is "hopeful" to play on Sunday, while Eagles QB Jalen Hurts is recovering from being concussed Dec. 22 at Washington.

Johnson walks off the field before an NFL football game against the New York Giants, Sunday, Jan. 5, 2025, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/)

Jalen Hurts returned to action Wednesday with the expectation that he will report no post-concussion symptoms Thursday and thereby present himself for duty Sunday afternoon, when the Eagles host