Bills Safety Ejected After Apparent Spit Toward Raiders Players
33 sourcesUpdated Oct 19, 20261 min read
Buffalo Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson was ejected late in the second quarter of Sunday's game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium after television replays showed him spitting toward Raiders players, including tight end Brock Bowers. Officials took an unusually long time before announcing the ejection and a 14-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, leaving Buffalo without a defensive starter. CBS cameras captured and replayed the spit. Jim Nantz said, "This is about as disrespectful as it gets." J.J. Watt had speculated spitting; Gene Steratore called it "Just something that we do not want to in the game," said the ejection was warranted, and said New York would review for more. At halftime Nate Burleson said "What are you doing?" and that scuffles and jaw-jacking happen but the act was childish, immature, unprofessional for a veteran. Bill Cowher said "That's selfish" and that controlling emotions would decide games like this. Outlets differed on spit on Bowers versus toward Bowers and Tyler Linderbaum. Gardner-Johnson signed a one-year, $6 million Bills contract in March and is on his sixth franchise; in 2020 with the Saints he was accused of spitting on Chicago's Javon Wims and fined $5,128 for that fight. The NFL may add a fine or suspension.
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If the video holds up the NFL ought to add a suspension on top of the ejection to deter this nonsense.
Spitting at other players crosses a line and the ejection was the only fair response from the officials.
