Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson just got himself ejected from the Week 6 clash against the Raiders for spitting on an opponent. And let me tell you, the league office has a seriously tough call on its hands about what kind of extra discipline is coming his way.
The NFL’s Zero-Tolerance Spitting Policy
The league isn’t messing around with spitting anymore, folks. They adopted a whole new approach to it last year, and it’s meant a one-game suspension, at least in a roundabout way. Remember Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter? He spit on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott right at the start of the regular-season opener. He got tossed from that entire game, and his punishment was a fine equal to a game check, which basically simulated a full suspension. It sent a message then, and it’s still sending one.
Precedent and the Gardner-Johnson Dilemma
Later in that same season, we saw Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase spit on Steelers defensive back Jalen Ramsey. The officials missed that one, so Chase wasn’t ejected during the game itself. Instead, he got straight-up suspended for the *next* game. Now, that brings us back to Gardner-Johnson. He was ejected and missed half of that Week 6 game. So, what’s the NFL gonna do? Will they hit him with another full-game suspension? Or will they try some NCAA-style targeting punishment, maybe keeping him out only for the first half of the Bills’ next matchup?
Here’s the kicker: Buffalo’s got a Week 7 bye. That means the clock isn’t ticking quite as loud for the league to make this decision, giving them a bit more breathing room. But make no mistake, the NFL *has* a decision to make. Gardner-Johnson’s actions put them in this spot, and whatever they decide, it’s gonna set another precedent for the league’s stance on this kind of unacceptable behavior.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pro Football Talk.
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