CJGJ Suspended by NFL for Spitting at Raiders' Brock Bowers on Video, Bills Safety Was Ejected

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.

Gardner-Johnson apologized in a social media post after the game.

"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."

The NFL has set a pretty clear precedent for spitting punishments.

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.

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 of The Athletic wrote that CJGJ has been "fined 13 times for $194,924 over his seven NFL seasons."

He has since been fined twice this season alongside his looming suspension.

For now, however, the Bills aren't going to cut him. The team has a Week 7 bye before CJGJ misses Week 8's tilt against the Baltimore Ravens.

But Gardner-Johnson is only under contract for the 2026 season. If Buffalo deems his volatility a liability going forward, his release is certainly possible and wouldn't come as a major surprise.