Buffalo Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson has been suspended for one game without pay after he was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct and ejected from Sunday’s 33-30 win over the Las Vegas Raiders for spitting in the direction of tight end Brock Bowers.<\/p>\n
Gardner-Johnson apologized<\/a> in a social media post after the game.<\/p>\n “My passion and competitive nature have always been a huge part of who I am, but I also understand that there is a line that should never be crossed,” Gardner-Johnson said. “The gesture I made toward my opponent was inappropriate, unnecessary, and not a reflection of the respect I have for him or this game. There is no excuse for my actions, and I take full accountability. No matter how emotional or intense the competition gets, I have to hold myself to a higher standard.”<\/p>\n The NFL has set a pretty clear precedent for spitting punishments.<\/p>\n Last season, Jalen Carter was ejected before the start of the Philadelphia Eagles’ matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. Because he didn’t play in that game, the NFL considered it a one-game suspension and didn’t punish him further. Later in the season, Cincinnati Bengals wideout Ja’Marr Chase was suspended a game for spitting at Jalen Ramsey.<\/p>\n There is also the matter of Gardner-Johnson’s standing with the Bills. The veteran safety has always been a chippy player, which often verges on the line of unsportsmanlike. Coming into the season, Coming into the 2026 campaign, Tim Graham<\/a> of The Athletic wrote that CJGJ has been “fined 13 times for $194,924 over his seven NFL seasons.”<\/p>\n