Bills’ Gardner-Johnson Ejected After Spitting Incident

Buffalo Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson was ejected late in the first half of Sunday’s 33-30 win over the Las Vegas Raiders after officials said he spat toward an opponent. The incident involved Raiders tight end Brock Bowers and led to an unsportsmanlike-conduct penalty and disqualification. Referee Shawn Smith said after the game that umpire Tra Blake witnessed Gardner-Johnson spit on an opponent. Smith said the officials’ decision did not depend on where the spit landed. Video appeared to show Gardner-Johnson spitting toward Bowers during an exchange between players, though Gardner-Johnson did not explicitly confirm the act in his postgame answers. The exchange followed an incomplete pass and occurred with 19 seconds remaining before halftime, while Buffalo led 13-10. Gardner-Johnson said he let his emotions get the better of him, hurt his team and needed to control himself. He described the gesture as unwarranted and said Bowers had done nothing to him. Gardner-Johnson apologized to Bowers, his teammates and others in a postgame social media statement, calling his gesture inappropriate and unnecessary. He said he had spoken with Bills coach Joe Brady and would accept a...