NFL suspends Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson one game for spitting

The NFL suspended Buffalo Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson for one game Monday after he was ejected for spitting toward a Raiders player during Sunday's 33-30 win in Las Vegas. The league confirmed the discipline in its October 19 news roundup.

The Bills have a Week 7 bye. Unless the penalty changes through an appeal, Gardner-Johnson will miss Buffalo's November 1 home game against Baltimore. The Bills' official schedule lists their following game for November 9 at Minnesota on Monday night.

The suspension makes the incident carry into Buffalo's next game. Gardner-Johnson already missed the second half against Las Vegas after officials disqualified him late in the second quarter. Buffalo won to improve to 5-1.

The incident before halftime

The confrontation followed an incomplete Kirk Cousins pass toward Tre Tucker with 19 seconds left in the half, according to Field Level Media's account. Gardner-Johnson and Raiders tight end Brock Bowers exchanged words before the safety spat in the direction of Bowers and nearby center Tyler Linderbaum.

CBS's broadcast clip shows the exchange and the officials' response:

Referee Shawn Smith said in a postgame pool report that umpire Tra Blake witnessed Gardner-Johnson spitting toward an opponent, Field Level Media reported. The crew assessed an unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty and removed Gardner-Johnson from the game.

Gardner-Johnson acknowledged afterward that he had allowed his emotions to hurt Buffalo. He said Bowers had done nothing to him beyond their verbal exchange and that the gesture was unwarranted, according to Field Level Media. He also said coach Joe Brady asked him to apologize to his teammates and that he did so after the game. Reporter Jon Scott posted his full postgame comments:

A defensive absence after the bye

Gardner-Johnson is in his first season with Buffalo, which signed him to a one-year contract in March. The Bills' official roster identifies him as a safety wearing No. 22. His previous NFL stops include New Orleans, Philadelphia, Detroit, Houston and Chicago.

His earlier ejection came with Philadelphia in December 2024, when two unsportsmanlike-conduct penalties removed him from a game against Washington. Monday's punishment is a separate league decision arising from the October 18 Raiders incident.

Gardner-Johnson can appeal the suspension. An appeal could change which game he misses, but no decision overturning the suspension had been announced Monday.