Bills' Gardner-Johnson suspended one game for spitting at Raiders players — SkimNews
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- NFL suspended Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson one game without pay for spitting toward Raiders players, ruling he violated Rule 12, Section 3, Article 1 covering acts contrary to sportsmanship.
- Gardner-Johnson was ejected from Sunday's 33-30 Bills win after umpire Tra Blake witnessed him spit toward Raiders tight end Brock Bowers and center Tyler Linderbaum shortly before halftime.
- Barring appeal, the safety will miss Buffalo's Week 8 game against the Baltimore Ravens, with the Bills on a bye this week.
- Any appeal would be heard by Derrick Brooks, Jordy Nelson, Ron Rivera, or James Thrash, jointly appointed and paid by the NFL and the NFLPA.
- Gardner-Johnson apologized to teammates and on social media, calling his gesture "inappropriate, unnecessary"; coach Joe Brady had requested the apology, and QB Josh Allen said captains would review the footage to decide on a team address.
Why it matters: The one-game suspension costs Gardner-Johnson a game check and removes Buffalo's starting safety for a Week 8 matchup against the Baltimore Ravens, forcing the secondary to adjust. His second 15-yard penalty in two weeks signals a discipline issue his coach publicly demanded he address, putting the veteran on notice inside the locker room.
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