C.J. Gardner-Johnson called it “nothing egregious” to reporters in the locker room in Las Vegas. Then the social media reaction hit, and by Sunday night he was on Instagram posting an apology about his “gesture.” He still couldn’t write the word “spit.”
Buffalo Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson was ejected with about 15 seconds remaining in the first half during Sunday’s Week 6 win over the Las Vegas Raiders for spitting at Raiders tight end Brock Bowers. Postgame in the locker room, Gardner-Johnson told reporters he needed to “control my emotions” but maintained the incident “wasn’t nothing egregious.” Sunday night, facing sustained backlash, he posted a statement on his Instagram Story: “The gesture I made toward my opponent was inappropriate, unnecessary, and not a reflection of the respect I have for him or this game. There is no excuse for my actions, and I take full accountability… One moment does not define my character, but how I respond to that moment matters.” The Bills won 33–30 in Las Vegas.
For Buffalo Bills fans and NFL Week 7 bettors, the apology doesn’t clear Gardner-Johnson from missing game time. He entered Sunday having already been fined this season, and 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk publicly accused him of the same act last year. The NFL league office may review the incident for additional discipline.
San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk posted on X Sunday night: “This is the least surprising thing ever. (C.J. Gardner-Johnson) spit on me last year when we beat Chicago.” The post went wide quickly because Juszczyk’s allegation turned a one-game ejection into a repeat-offender question—which is the lens the NFL considers when deciding whether to suspend.
The tell in Gardner-Johnson’s Instagram apology: at no point does he use the words “spit” or “spitting.” He refers to the act as “the gesture I made toward my opponent.” Hours earlier, in the locker room, he called it “nothing egregious.” Between those two statements—both crafted while cameras were on and social media was watching—he never managed to name what he had done.
Why was Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson ejected against the Raiders?
Buffalo Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson was ejected with about 15 seconds remaining in the first half of Sunday’s Week 6 win over the Las Vegas Raiders for spitting at Raiders tight end Brock Bowers. He initially called it “nothing egregious” postgame, then issued an apology on Instagram that night—calling the act “the gesture I made”—as 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk alleged Gardner-Johnson had also spit on him last season.
Watch for any NFL league discipline ahead of Buffalo’s Week 7 game. This article will be updated when the league announces its decision.
