Who is Chauncey Gardner-Johnson? Meet the Philadelphia Eagles safety from Cocoa, Florida

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When C.J. Gardner-Johnson played for Cocoa High about a decade ago, he was known as Chauncey Gardner, and he became one of the most successful athletes to come out of Brevard County.

Gardner-Johnson added the Johnson to his last name while at the University of Florida, in honor of stepfather Brian Johnson. Since then, he's been with the New Orleans Saints and now the Philadelphia Eagles, bound for Sunday's Super Bowl LVII.

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Here are some quick facts about the Chauncey Gardner-Johnson:

∎ Gardner-Johnson was tied for the NFL lead with 6 interceptions in 2022. He was joined by Minkah Fitzpatrick, Justin Simmons and Tariq Woolen. In his prior three seasons, he had five total INTs.

∎ Gardner-Johnson was drafted into the NFL the same spring as two other of his Cocoa High Tigers teammates. In 2019, he was picked by the New Orleans Saints in the fourth round, 105th overall. Also chosen were his cousin Jawaan Taylor (Jacksonville Jaguars, second round, 35th overall) and Jamel Dean (Tampa Bay Bucs, third round, 94th overall). Gardner-Johnson and Taylor also played together at the University of Florida.

∎ Gardner-Johnson will enter free agency after the Super Bowl. He signed a four-year, $3,304,100 contract with the New Orleans Saints, including a $784,100 signing bonus, $784,100 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $826,025.

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∎ On Aug. 30, 2022, the Saints traded Gardner-Johnson along with a 2025 seventh-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles for a fifth-round pick and the lower of their two sixth-round picks in the 2024 NFL Draft.

∎ For his high school career, Gardner-Johnson was named to an all-decade team (2010s) by FLORIDA TODAY: the All-Space Coast Defensive Football Team of the Decade. In a vote by readers, he tied Holy Trinity grad and fellow NFL defensive back Marcus Maye as the top defensive player of the 2010s.

∎ Gardner-Johnson was named to the 2019 Pro Football Writers NFL All-Rookie Team in 2020.

∎ In his final regular season with the Florida Gators, Gardner-Johnson recorded 66 tackles, nine for loss, along with three sacks and a pair of interceptions. He was named defensive MVP of the Peach Bowl after intercepting two passes, returning one 30 yards to the end zone in a win over Michigan. The year before, he had been MVP of the Outback Bowl, a win over Iowa.

∎ Gardner-Johnson was the first player under four-time Cocoa High state championship football coach John Wilkinson to start every game of his four-year career.

∎ Among his many honors as a senior, he was named to USA Today's All-Florida team, was picked to play in the UnderArmour All-America Game in Orlando.

∎ In his senior Cocoa High football season, he made 55 tackles, sacked the opposing quarterback four times and intercepted two passes. He finished the year with 927 all-purpose yards.

∎ As a junior on the track in 2015, he won the FHSAA Class 2A 100 and 200 meters. His 100-meter time was 10.38 seconds, and he ran the 200 in 21.12. By graduating early, he was not enrolled in the spring as a senior and unable to defend those titles. He was voted the Florida Dairy Farmers Class 2A Boys Track & Field Athlete of the Year. His best long jump for the year was 23 feet, 1 inch.

∎ Gardner-Johnson was the FLORIDA TODAY Boys Track and Field Runner of the Year after his sophomore and junior seasons.

∎ Gardner was one of the first to graduate early from Cocoa High to enroll at his college of choice in January. He did so in December of 2015.

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: CJ Gardner-Johnson: What to know about Cocoa native in Super Bowl 2023