C.J. Gardner-Johnson spent his Sunday evening apologising. The Bills safety was ejected in the second quarter at Allegiant Stadium after officials in New York reviewed replays showing him spitting toward Bowers.
Buffalo led 13-10 when Gardner-Johnson was disqualified for unsportsmanlike conduct, and the visitors closed out a 33-30 road win against the Raiders without him.
He made no attempt to deny the act afterwards.
“We were just arguing and talking. It was nothing negative. He ain’t do nothing to me. It was just in the heat of the game arguing and talking sh*t. That gesture isn’t warranted,” he told reporters.
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“I got to be a better player, I got to be a better vet, I hurt my team. I just got to control my emotions.”
‘One moment does not define my character’
Later on Sunday, Gardner-Johnson posted a longer apology to his Instagram story.
“I want to take a moment to address my actions and sincerely apologize to my opponent, my teammates, my organization, and everyone who supports me,” he wrote.
“The gesture I made toward my opponent was inappropriate, unnecessary, and not a reflection of the respect I have for him or this game.”
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“One moment does not define my character, but how I respond to that moment matters.”
Brady: ‘That can’t happen’
Bills head coach Joe Brady, in his first season in the job after Sean McDermott was fired, said he had not yet seen the footage in his postgame press conference but was already preparing to deal with it.
“I was talking to the ref, they took it to New York and it was clear as day. I’m sure I’m going to see it shortly after here,” Brady said, according to Yahoo Sports.
“At the end of the day, if it shows up, that can’t happen; that’s the discipline I’m talking about. It’s uncalled for, it can’t happen, and it’s going to be addressed.”
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A one-game ban is on the table
The NFL told players before the 2025 season that spitting carries a one-game suspension and the loss of a game cheque, and the league has applied that standard twice already, according to Yahoo Sports.
Philadelphia defensive tackle Jalen Carter had his September 2025 ejection counted as time served alongside a forfeited game cheque of around $57,000, while Cincinnati receiver Ja’Marr Chase served a one-game ban later that season at a cost of between $448,000 and $507,000.
Gardner-Johnson, who is in his eighth NFL season, has been fined repeatedly over his career but never suspended. He said after Sunday’s game he was ready for whatever the league decides.
Buffalo has a bye in Week 7, with its next fixture at Highmark Stadium against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday 1 November.
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