Eagles veteran believes NFL is treating him unfairly: ‘I got a target on my back’

TAMPA, Fla. — Eagles safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson disagreed with two decisions that the NFL made this week, including one that happened in the Eagles' 33-16 loss to the Buccaneers on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium.

Gardner-Johnson doesn't understand why wide receiver Mike Evans was not called for offensive pass interference when he scored a two-yard touchdown on the game's opening drive. Evans pushed Gardner-Johnson to get open in the back of the end zone and got away with it.

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"The explanation was, 'I didn't see it,'" Gardner-Johnson told reporters after the game. "So if (the referee) didn't see it, I don't know who saw it. ... It's what (Mike Evans) is known to do, but he's a great wide receiver. That's what he's here for. ... Sometimes the ball doesn't roll the defense's way. It's obvious that I get pushed, but ain't nothing I can do about that. They don't call it, they don't call it."

Before Sunday's game, Gardner-Johnson had 45,021 reasons to be mad. That's how much the NFL fined him on Saturday for three separate incidents in the Eagles' Week 3 win over the New Orleans Saints . He was given two separate fines of $16,883 each for taunting in the second quarter and third quarters and a $11,255 fine for a late hit in the first quarter.

Gardner-Johnson tries to emulate the passion of the all-time greats, but he can't do that without getting in trouble because the NFL doesn't allow its players to express themselves like they used to. They can't trash talk or celebrate as often. If they go a little overboard, the NFL will flag them or hand out a fine.

The 26-year-old might have to hide his emotions to avoid losing more money.

"I got a target on my back for being a guy that looked up to guys like (former Ravens safety) Ed Reed and (linebacker) Ray Lewis , (Washington safety) Sean Taylor , (Steelers safeties) Troy Polamalu and Ryan Clark. They were passionate. They were the same way. The fact that they're trying to take the passion out of the game right now, there's nothing I can do about it. I go out there and play smarter."

Gardner-Johnson said not being able to play with as much passion won't affect his performances. However, he is mad that the NFL fined him more than Saints defensive tackle Khristian Boyd , who knocked Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith out of the game with a concussion.

Boyd was only fined $4,665 because a first-offense fine cannot exceed more than 10% of a player's salary for that game week, and he is only making $46,900 per week. Saints offensive tackle Trevor Penning wasn't fined for shoving Eagles cornerback Darius Slay out of bounds after the whistle. Slay didn't play for the remainder of the fourth quarter because he suffered a minor knee injury.

The NFL decided that Gardner-Johnson's actions deserved to be punished more, and he is still trying to figure out why.

"Obviously, I don't think I'm costing my team. .. It is what it is. I'll appeal it and move on to the next."