The NFL suspended Buffalo Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson one game without pay for spitting toward a group of Las Vegas Raiders players, including tight end Brock Bowers, the league announced Monday.
Gardner-Johnson was ejected from Sunday's game in the second quarter for unsportsmanlike conduct.
The 28-year-old's suspension begins Oct. 26. He will be eligible to return to the Bills on Nov. 2 after the team's game against the Baltimore Ravens.
Gardner-Johnson apologized to his teammates after being tossed from the game.
"The gesture I made toward my opponent was inappropriate, unnecessary, and not a reflection of the respect I have for him or this game," Gardner-Johnson wrote in an Instagram story, according to CBS Sports' Zachary Pereles. "There is no excuse for my actions, and I take full accountability. No matter how emotional or intense the competition gets, I have to hold myself to a higher standard."
Gardner-Johnson has been ejected from two games in his NFL career. He was kicked out of a game against the Washington Commanders when he was with the Philadelphia Eagles after accruing two personal fouls. He then gave Commanders fans the middle finger before exiting the contest.
