NFL suspends Buffalo Bills safety CJ Gardner-Johnson after grotesque spitting incident
Buffalo Bills safety C.J. Gardner‑Johnson has been suspended for one game and will miss the team’s matchup against the Baltimore Ravens after a July 29 incident during the Bills’ 33‑30 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.
The NFL announced the ruling Monday night. It came after Gardner‑Johnson, who had been playing for the Bills, spat on Raiders tight end Brock Bowers in the second quarter of the Sunday afternoon game at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. Referees immediately flagged the play for unsportsmanlike conduct and sent the Bills player to the locker room. The penalty gave the Raiders a favorable field position, and the team was able to tie the game at 30‑30 with a field goal before the break. Buffalo ultimately prevailed, holding on for the win.
After the game, Gardner‑Johnson issued a public apology on Instagram stories. “The gesture I made toward my opponent was inappropriate, unnecessary, and not a reflection of the respect I have for him or this game,” he wrote. He added, “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.”
The league’s one‑game ban means Gardner‑Johnson will be out of the Bills’ next contest, scheduled for Saturday at FedExField in Baltimore. He will also forfeit his salary for that game.
Gardner‑Johnson’s conduct has drawn scrutiny before. In 2023, Philadelphia defensive tackle Jalen Carter was fined and stripped of a game check after spitting on Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott in Week 1. The Bills player has also been involved in other on‑field altercations, including a 2020 incident in which New Orleans Saints teammate Michael Thomas punched him during practice. More recently, during a 2021 game, Bears receiver Javon Wims threw a punch at Gardner‑Johnson after a collision, and in a 2022 playoff game Bears wide‑receiver Anthony Miller was ejected for punching him.
Despite the team’s efforts to maintain discipline, the incident underscores a recurring pattern in Gardner‑Johnson’s career. The NFL’s decision to suspend him, rather than simply fine him, signals the league’s intolerance of conduct that crosses the line into unsportsmanlike behavior. The Bills’ coaching staff will need to assess how best to reintegrate the player once he returns for the Ravens game.
