C.J. Gardner-Johnson Says Teammate's Hit On Tyler Higbee Wasn't Dirty, Blame The QB!

The brutal hit on Tyler Higbee, which ultimately tore the TE's ACL, was NOT dirty ... according to Kerby Joseph's Lions teammate C.J. Gardner-Johnson, who says if the Rams want to blame anyone, it should be their QB!

The tackle in question came late in the 4th quarter during the Lions-Rams playoff game at Ford Field Sunday evening ... when Joseph, a safety, hit Higbee low as he attempted to catch a ball running across the middle of the field.

The TV broadcast showed Higbee's planted leg bending backward ... and many people have deemed the hit "dirty."

But, Gardner-Johnson feels differently ... placing the blame on Matthew Stafford for putting his TE in that position.

"If anybody on the Rams feels like it was dirty, well tell his quarterback don't put the ball in a place where he can get his player hurt," CJ told reporters after the game.

"You heard [Tom] Brady say it all the time."

In fact, Brady did recently make this point ... after Colts receiver Michael Pittman Jr. got hurt after a hit from Steelers' Damontae Kazee (he was suspended for the rest of the 2023 season).

"Nobody likes seeing players get hurt. But hard hits happen," Brady said.

"QBs should not be throwing the ball in areas where they are exposing their own teammates to these types of hits."

On Monday, the Rams fears were confirmed ... Higbee tore his ACL on the play.

Johnson -- a third-round draft pick of the Lions in 2022 -- spoke about the hit after the Lions 24-23 win, saying he wasn't trying to hurt Tyler.

"I’m praying for bro and his family I don’t have no intention to hurt no body and or harm their career," Joseph wrote on X.