Buffalo Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson just added another wild chapter to his 2026 season, getting slapped with a one-game suspension after his ejection this past Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders. The dude was tossed before halftime in the Bills’ Week 6 game, all for unsportsmanlike conduct, and let me tell you, the replay did not look good. It definitely showed him spitting in the area of Raiders tight end Brock Bowers after what seemed like a heated verbal dispute with a few Raiders players. That’s a clear violation of Rule 12, Section 3, Article 1, which covers “any act which is contrary to the generally understood principles of sportsmanship.” You just can’t do that.
Another Incident For The Veteran Safety
This isn’t just a minor sideline infraction, folks. Gardner-Johnson’s suspension kicks off Monday, October 26, right after the Bills’ Week 7 bye. That means he’s out for Buffalo’s November 1 game against the Baltimore Ravens. He’ll be eligible to get back on the active roster on November 2, though he can appeal the suspension if he wants to fight it. Missing a guy for spitting? It’s a tough look for a player who signed a one-year deal with Buffalo worth up to $6 million this year. This ejection is absolutely the latest in a string of incidents for the veteran safety, proving that his eventful start to the season has been exactly that: eventful.
A Pattern of Fines and Outbursts
And seriously, this guy has been a walking headline all season. Back in Week 2, the NFL fined Gardner-Johnson a cool $11,194 for a hip drop tackle on Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs during the first snap of the third quarter in Buffalo’s 41-31 win. Then, after that wild 37-34 overtime win against the Rams on a Monday, he got hit with another $11,194 fine, this time for striking, kicking, or kneeing on a play late in regulation. It doesn’t stop there. After Buffalo’s 29-26 loss to the Patriots in Week 4, where Efton Chism III made a ridiculous diving, one-handed touchdown catch to win the game, Gardner-Johnson brushed off Chism, calling him a “practice squad player” who “made a hell of a catch.” This isn’t even his first career ejection. Rewind to December 2024, when he was with the Eagles, he got disqualified against the Commanders after pulling his second unsportsmanlike conduct penalty of the game, then flipped two middle fingers at the crowd on his way to the tunnel. You just have to wonder what’s going on sometimes.
The Bills went into Sunday’s game at 4-1, with the Raiders at 3-2. Missing Gardner-Johnson for that Ravens game is a big deal, especially with his flair for the dramatic. You gotta hope he uses that bye week to regroup, because Buffalo needs him locked in and playing smart, not making headlines for the wrong reasons.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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