CJ Gardner-Johnson hit with NFL suspension after spitting at Brock Bowers

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The NFL didn’t waste time punishing Buffalo Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson after he spat at Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers on Sunday.

Gardner-Johnson will be suspended for one game without pay as a result of this incident, the NFL announced in a release on Monday.

Buffalo Bills’ C.J. Gardner-Johnson (22) runs onto the field prior to an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Chargers at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Sept. 27, 2026. Getty Images

The official release stated that Gardner-Johnson, “spit at an opponent, violating Rule 12, Section 3, Article 1, which applies to ‘any act which is contrary to the generally understood principles of sportsmanship.’”

Buffalo is on bye next week. Therefore, Gardner-Johnson will be ineligible to play in the Bills’ November 1 game against the Baltimore Ravens.

Brock Bowers (89) of the Las Vegas Raiders walks off the field after losing a game against the New England Patriots at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass., Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. Getty Images

This one-game punishment is in line with past punishments the NFL have handed out due to spitting in the game.

Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter was ejected from the game after spitting at Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott in the NFL’s opening day game last year.

Buffalo Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson celebrates after a false start call during the first half of an NFL football game against the Los Angeles Rams, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. AP Photo/Scott Strazzante

It was the first play of that game, so the NFL deemed that Carter served that one-game punishment in the same game he was ejected from.

Gardner-Johnson issued an apology on his Instagram story on Sunday evening. San Francisco 49ers star fullback Kyle Juszczyk has also claimed that Gardner-Johnson spat on him during a game last year.

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