Gardner-Johnson Ejected After Apparent Spit at Raiders

Buffalo Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson was ejected before halftime of the team’s Week 6 game against the Las Vegas Raiders on October 18, after a replay appeared to show him spitting toward Raiders players. Buffalo won 33-30. The unsportsmanlike conduct penalty followed an exchange between Gardner-Johnson and Raiders players. The replay appeared to show him spitting in the direction of tight end Brock Bowers, who was among the players nearby. Officials sent Gardner-Johnson out of the game. The footage prompted a separate allegation from San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk, who posted on X that Gardner-Johnson had spit on him the previous season, when Juszczyk was with the Chicago Bears. Juszczyk’s claim was not independently corroborated in the available reports. After the game, Gardner-Johnson said he needed to control his emotions and do better. He described the exchange as competitive and in the heat of the moment, and said he had hurt his team. He also said he held nothing against the Raiders or Bowers. He did not confirm that he had spat at an opponent. Bills coach Joe Brady said the behavior could not happen and would be addressed. Gene Steratore, a broadcast...