The Detroit Lions are set to face the San Francisco 49ers at Levi's Stadium next Sunday in the NFC Championship Game. The playoff showdown could feature an intriguing matchup between Lions safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson and 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel, assuming the latter receives a clean bill of health.

Samuel exited Saturday night's win over the Green Bay Packers with a shoulder injury.

Tensions between Gardner-Johnson and Samuel flared in October after the 49ers' first loss of the season, a Week 6 defeat at the hands of the Cleveland Browns. The 49ers and Browns got into a heated exchange ahead of the game, and the Lions safety implied that Samuel backed away when things got heated, requiring tackle Trent Williams to intervene.


Notably, Gardner-Johnson was part of last season's Philadelphia Eagles team that eliminated the 49ers from the playoffs. At the time of the online back-and-forth, the safety was recovering from a torn pectoral.


Samuel swiftly responded via social media, cautioning Gardner-Johnson, "Boy stop playing before you get a rewind of this….. boy sit down" accompanied by a clown emoji and a video of a previous physical scuffle between Gardner-Johnson and Chicago Bears wide receiver Javon Wims.


Displeased with Samuel's response, Gardner-Johnson took to Instagram Live to say, "You better hope all that talk you be doing when we see you all, whatever [playoff] round it may be … because I can guard you. You can't run routes. You're a running back. You're a running back. I ain't gonna sit here and play with you, little boy. Just because you got a little bag, people give you a little clout, and then you ain't nothing, bro."


In response, Samuel addressed the conflict during an interview, expressing confusion over Gardner-Johnson's initiation of the feud and remarking, "It just sounds like he mad I got a little bag and a lot of money, and nobody knows who he is. I ain't going to speak too much on it. I mean, that s--t is over with. I was laughing the whole time."


While Samuel's availability for the upcoming game remains uncertain, ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the wide receiver informed members of the 49ers organization that he is "OK."

Samuel had previously suffered a hairline fracture in his shoulder during that game against the Browns, missing most of that matchup and the subsequent two contests.


In a segment on NFL Network, Michael Irvin provided a minor update on Samuel's injury after speaking to the receiver, stating, "He said this time around he does feel better. Last time he got hurt, he couldn't lift his arm. He said this time he could, so that gives him hope that he'll be good for next week."

Gardner-Johnson finished Sunday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers with a tackle, a pass defensed, and this interception of quarterback Baker Mayfield.



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