CJGJ Released by Bills After Serving 1-Game Suspension for Spitting at Raiders

C.J. Gardner-Johnson's time with the Buffalo Bills is over.

Buffalo announced Tuesday it released the safety.

NFL insider Jordan Schultz initially reported the move followed his one-game suspension. Gardner-Johnson was given the penalty for a "spitting incident" during the team's Week 6 win over the Las Vegas Raiders and missed Sunday's win over the Baltimore Ravens.

The suspension came after cameras captured him spitting toward star tight end Brock Bowers:

The veteran took to social media in the aftermath of the incident and apologized.

"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 wrote (h/t Zachary Pereles of CBS Sports). "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."

Yet fines and punishments are nothing new for Gardner-Johnson, as Tim Graham of The Athletic noted he was fined 13 times for $194,924 coming into the season.

Gardner-Johnson, who led the NFL with six interceptions during the 2022 campaign on the Philadelphia Eagles, started six games for Buffalo this season and posted 26 tackles, two passes defended and one interception.

While there was a time in his career when he was a defensive game-changer, he largely struggled during his brief time in Buffalo. According to Pro Football Focus, his overall player grade of 55.2 ranks 71st of 98 eligible safeties for the 2026 season.

At 28 years old with plenty of experience under his belt following stops with the New Orleans Saints, Eagles, Detroit Lions, Houston Texans, Chicago Bears and Bills, Gardner-Johnson will surely draw interest from other teams looking for depth in the defensive backfield.

But he will no longer help the Bills chase a Super Bowl trophy this season.