The Buffalo Bills are stepping out of the West Coast and into their bye week with a division-best 5-1 record after a 33-30 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. For most of the game, the Bills were in firm control behind Josh Allen’s improvisational brilliance in Nevada. But one silly mistake by CJ Gardner-Johnson could’ve erased all that.

With only 19 seconds left in the first half, the hosts had picked up a first down on a defensive holding call. Just then, umpire Tra Blake saw Gardner-Johnson spit in the direction of Raiders tight end Brock Bowers and center Tyler Linderbaum, prompting another penalty on the visitors and an ejection for the safety. Worse news was that the penalty moved the chain to Buffalo’s 14-yard line for the Raiders, setting up kicker Matt Gay’s 27-yard field goal to tie the game 13-13. While he is already expecting a fine, San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk gave the NFL another reason to take harsher action against him, hinting at why the Bills are his sixth team in as many seasons.

“This is the least surprising thing ever,” Juszczyk wrote on X. “[C.J. Gardner-Johnson] spit on me last year when we beat Chicago.” 

During the previous flag, Bowers and Gardner-Johnson were seen chirping at each other. However, they didn’t exchange anything that prompted the safety’s reaction, especially knowing that the Bills were already thin at the position. But considering that he was voted the league’s most annoying player two years ago in The Athletic’s anonymous player poll, we can see why Juice raised an old issue.

Last season, the safety was with the Chicago Bears, and they lost 42-38 against the San Francisco 49ers on December 28, when Juice mentioned Gardner-Johnson had committed a similar unsportsmanlike conduct against him. However, the safety wasn’t ejected back then; it was another penalty that saw him leave the stadium early.

CJ Gardner-Johnson isn’t the Bills’ Achilles heel yet, but his behavior isn’t a help either

Sunday’s ejection was actually CJ Gardner-Johnson’s second in eight seasons. The first came two seasons ago when he was in his second stint with the Philadelphia Eagles. He had collected two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties against the Washington Commanders and was finally ejected. Making things worse, he flashed two birdies to the opponents’ home crowd while on his way to the locker room. There’s a reason why his penalty tab looks the way it does…

So far, Gardner-Johnson has reportedly been fined 15 times for over $200,000 in his career. Just last Monday, he got a $11,194 fine for striking/kicking/kneeing during the Bills’ Week 5 37-34 win against the Los Angeles Rams. In Week 2, in the team’s 41-31 win over the Detroit Lions, he was fined $11,194 for unnecessary roughness for a hip-drop tackle. The league will certainly add more to that, along with a possible suspension for the safety. But what’s funny is that he actually did it right in front of the umpire. Even CBS announcer Jim Nantz expressed his disappointment on live air.

“This is as disrespectful as it gets,” he said.

“Just something that we do not want to see in the game,” CBS’ rules analyst Gene Steratore added. “The ejection definitely warranted, and after talking to New York, they will look at it to see if there is anything further.” 

Spitting at an opponent is punishable according to Rule 12, Section 3, Article 1 of the NFL rulebook. Per Pro Football Talk, the league has informed players they are “on clear notice” that spitting means a one-game suspension and a lost game check.

Later, the team and the safety also commented on the incident.

Brady and Allen comment on CJ Gardner-Johnson’s conduct as the safety apologizes to everyone

Following the ejection, Gardner-Johnson told the media it all happened in the “heat of the moment.” He further acknowledged that he holds nothing against the Raiders or their tight end. 

“I gotta be a better vet,” Gardner-Johnson told the media in the Bills locker room. “I let my emotions get above me, and I hurt my team. They brought me here to play in big games like this. So, I gotta do better. Just control my emotions. Nothing crazy.”

He had apologized to his Bills in the locker room already but also shared a social media post addressing his behavior.

“My passion and competitive nature have always been a huge part of who I am, but I also understand that there is a line that should never be crossed,” 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.”

Bills head coach Joe Brady also addressed the situation in the postgame press conference. He claimed that such things “can’t happen,” and assured the public that “it’s going to be addressed.”

Allen, meanwhile, mentioned that he wasn’t aware of all the facts about the incident and will talk to the team captains if this was something needed to be addressed together. But it’s not uncommon to see players spitting at their opponents during a high-octane game.

Last year, Eagles DT Jalen Carter spat on Cowboys QB Dak Prescott and got ejected for the action. Later on in Week 11, Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase spat at Steelers CB Jalen Ramsey. The league suspended Chase for one game. 

With Kyle Juszczyk exposing a past pattern and the league office reviewing potential suspensions, the Bills safety must rein in his lack of discipline before it damages Buffalo’s defense.