C.J. Gardner-Johnson wants to wear the Number 8 jersey to honor Kobe Bryant

"My favorite player is from here. I think (I'm) tapping into a different mentality. It's like... It's something that will be great to see this year. I'm on my Kobe (Bryant) mode, so I'm coming out with The Mamba".
Those were the words of a more mature C.J. Gardner-Johnson than the one we saw leave the Philadelphia Eagles over a year ago.

Perhaps you have heard. C.J.G.J. is back. He officially put pen to paper on a three-year deal that reunites him with the Birds, and just in case you're wondering, he'll be wearing the Number 8 jersey.

“I’m here to win. I’m not here to lose… Kobe didn’t settle… He had the mentality to go out there and kill. In a good way”. Hmmm. Where was that type of fire from the Eagles' defense this season? Yeah... The more we think about this, the idea sounds better and better.

Something tells us those C.J. Gardner-Johnson jerseys will fly off of the shelf.

Ask any die-hard fan, and they'll tell you there are certain rules one must follow when purchasing a jersey. One must ask themselves how long said player will be here. Hey, there's no point in buying the jerseys of guys who are on prove-it deals, right?

Passion is also part of the deal, and passion is measured both ways. Does that player want to be here? Do the fans have an affinity for him? Gardner-Johnson checks both boxes. If we're being honest, and C.J. confirmed this during his Friday-afternoon sit-down with the media, his desire to be here are where those social media shots came from.

"I figured out ball isn't always about you. It's about 50 other guys out there... Getting hurt and taking a step back and not being the focal point made me realize, I want to be a part of something greater and better". Hey, that sounds good to us. Welcome back C.J.! Something tells us we'll see a lot of Midnight and Kelly Green Eagles jerseys with Number 8 on them at Lincoln Financial Field this season.

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