Bears' C.J. Gardner-Johnson making up for surprise Kyler Gordon injury vs. Packers

Chicago Bears' top slot cornerback Kyler Gordon suffered a pre-game injury at Lambeau Field, but veteran C.J. Gardner-Johnson stepped in with an early interception.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Bad news for the Chicago Bears: Top slot cornerback Kyler Gordon re-injured his groin in pre-game warm-ups Sunday at Lambeau Field and won't play against in the NFC North showdown against the Green Bay Packers.

Good news for the Chicago Bears: They signed C.J. Gardner-Johnson.

Picked by @CGJXXIII ‼️

📺: FOX pic.twitter.com/o6LUvLBkRZ

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) December 7, 2025

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Bears' head coach Ben Johnson has said that Gordon's coverage skills and versatility "unlocks everything" for his defense. Last April the team signed him to a three-year, $40 million contract extension. But this year has been a slew of injuries.

Per the Bears, Kyler Gordon suffered a groin injury in pre-game warmups and will not play in Green Bay.

— Courtney Cronin (@CourtneyRCronin) December 7, 2025

Gordon has played only three games. He was placed on injured reserve with groin/calf injuries Oct. 25, and was just activated Nov. 27. He played sparingly in the big Black Friday win over the Philadelphia Eagles, but defensive coordinator Dennis Allen was looking forward to him chasing the Packers' stable of receivers.

Game-time temperature at Lambeau Field was around 15 degrees with a wind chill in the single digits. It's not certain whether the cold played a role in Gordon re-injuring his groin.

MORE: Absence of Bears' WR Rome Odunze pushing odds way in Packers' favor

What is certain is that the Bears got themselves an elite insurance policy in Gardner-Johnson. On Green Bay's first drive, he had four tackles and then intercepted a Jordan Love pass deep in Chicago territory to keep the game scoreless in the first quarter.

Bears-Packers | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

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