Now, that’s one unique way to make headlines.
Step aside, Chad Ochocinco and Metta World Peace, there’s a new moniker in town – Ceedy Duce.
The Detroit Lions safety, formerly known as C.J. Gardner-Johnson, made a striking announcement on Friday, revealing that he has officially changed his name to what he affectionately calls his “alter ego.”
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While other athletes have drawn inspiration from various causes or religious beliefs to adopt new names, Gardner-Johnson, or rather, Duce, shared the straightforward reasoning behind his choice.
“People refer to me as Ceedy on the football field or Ducey,” he explained, as per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. “In everyday life, they call me C.J. or Chauncey.”
Gardner-Johnson isn’t the first player, especially not in the NFL, to embrace a distinct persona on the field. However, he might be the first to make his gridiron alter ego his legal name.
He expressed, “I have like two different personas within me, one for football and one for life. In life, I’m just relaxed. But on the football field, I transform into a completely different person.”
Duce is far from your typical player, even while nursing an injury. Alongside the name change, the Lions’ safety has also engaged in lively exchanges with opponents. Despite being on the injured reserve list with a torn pec, he recently reignited a war of words with San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel, branding him a running back who “can’t run routes.”
While Gardner-Johnson’s trash-talking spirit appears to be game-day ready, he’ll have to bide his time before he can unleash it on the field. He’s aiming for a comeback during the playoffs, provided the Lions secure a spot, and it appears to be a realistic possibility at the moment.
In 2022, Gardner-Johnson was part of the NFC Champion Philadelphia Eagles before joining the Lions on a one-year, $6.5 million contract in free agency last offseason. The 25-year-old managed to participate in only two games for Detroit before his injury, amassing 13 tackles and two pass defenses against the Seattle Seahawks and Kansas City Chiefs.
In his absence, the Lions have allowed the fourth-highest number of touchdown passes (11), with only eight teams conceding more passing yards (240.6).
We’ll be keeping a close watch on Ceedy to see if the name change has any impact on his performance.
