Where C.J. Gardner-Johnson goes, headlines follow. Through Year 8 of his NFL career, it remains to be seen whether that's a good thing.

Gardner-Johnson has carved out quite the niche since entering the league in 2019, establishing himself as one of the league's better defensive backs. In 2022, Gardner-Johnson led the league in interceptions, underpinning his value as a swash-buckling talent in contenders' secondaries.

And yet, it can be argued that Gardner-Johnson's antics draw more attention than his on-field play. He's liable to give up copious amounts of yards on account of penalties. He certainly has sacrificed a lot of his wealth to do so, reportedly sending more than $100,000 to the NFL via fines.

With that, here's a look back at the myriad controversies Gardner-Johnson has been involved in throughout his career.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson timeline of trouble

Gardner-Johnson has ran afoul of league policy on more occasions than most since entering the league. Here are a list of some of his most notable indiscretions.

2020: Michael Thomas suspended one game after reportedly punching Gardner-Johnson

Gardner-Johnson's antics reportedly drew the ire of his former Saints teammate, Michael Thomas, during Week 5 of the 2020 season. The duo reportedly got into it during a practice. Details of the confrontation were sparse, although reports indicated that Thomas caught Gardner-Johnson with a punch.

Thomas was subsequently one game for his actions. The alleged scuffle wasn't the first time Thomas and Gardner-Johnson jawed with one another. They reportedly barked at each other ahead of a 2019 clash with the Seahawks.

2020: Javon Wims sucker punches Gardner-Johnson, sparking brawl

Gardner-Johnson's first dalliance with the NFL rulebook came during the 2020 season. The then-Saints corner appeared to dig his fingers into then-Bears wideout Anthony Miller's facemask. Miller's teammate, Wims, responded with force, attempting to yank Gardner-Johnson's chain off of him before striking the New Orleans defensive back's helmet three times with a closed fist.

Bodies spilled onto the field following Wims' strike. Gardner-Johnson looked baffled by Wims' decision. The Chicago wideout was ultimately ejected for his actions. Gardner-Johnson escaped punishment, although his involvement in the fracas was a premonition of things to come in his big-league career.

2024: Gardner-Johnson fined $45,000 in one game

Gardner-Johnson's most costly game came during a 2024 tilt against his former employers, New Orleans, when he was a member of the Eagles. The then-Philadelphia talent was docked $45,021 for a trio of infractions in the contest.

Gardner-Johnson was forced to pay forfeitures after being flagged for taunting his old side twice. He completed the trifecta with an illegal tackle on Alvin Kamara. The illicit collision — which saw Gardner-Johnson drive Kamara into the ground out-of-bounds — cost Gardner-Johnson $11,255.

2024: Gardner-Johnson tossed in matchup against Commanders

The whistles came early and often for Gardner-Johnson in a Dec. 22 defeat to the Commanders. The then-Eagles standout was handed not one, but two unsportsmanlike conduct flags — both of which took place in the third quarter.

One of those calls was someone contentious. Gardner-Johnson got penalized despite clear video showing Washington wideout Dyami Brown striking him in the face.

Nevertheless, Gardner-Johnson got his money's worth when he exited stage left, firing off a fantastic flurry of middle fingers to the Northeast Stadium faithful as he disappeared into the tunnel.

2026: Gardner-Johnson blasts Patriots wideout Efton Chism III after loss

This one can hardly be classed as illicit. Nevertheless, Gardner-Johnson's decision to take aim at Chism after he snagged a wondrous one-handed grab against the Bills to give New England a momentous win certainly raised some eyebrows.

The Buffalo safety flaunted the art of the backhanded compliment in his postgame media scrum. In one sentence, he both praised Chism for making "a hell of a play" while also calling the Patriots wideout a "practice squad player."

"Probably won't do it again," Gardner-Johnson said of Chism.

Gardner-Johnson's statement wasn't entirely accurate — Chism, indeed, is a member of New England's active roster, and has been since the start of the 2025 season. Still, his willingness to chirp about the player who gave his team its first loss of the season was memorable, for better or worse.

2026: Gardner-Johnson ejected after spitting at Brock Bowers

Alas, we have reached the end of Gardner-Johnson's timeline of dispute (for now). The Bills safety returned to the headlines in Week 6, sending venom (and saliva) at Raiders star Brock Bowers.

Las Vegas center Tyler Linderbaum was alert to the threat, calling officials over to examine the scene. It didn't take long for them to chase Gardner-Johnson out of the game. Speaking with reporters after the contest concluded, Gardner-Johnson acknowledged that he was out of line and admonished himself for failing to be a better veteran. He also said the incident didn't have anything to do with Bowers.