Those surprised that Bills cornerback C.J. Gardner-Johnson spat at the feet of Raiders' Pro Bowl tight end Brock Bowers on Sunday didn't include another Pro Bowl offensive player.
San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk claims Gardner-Johnson did the same to him last season.
After Gardner-Johnson was ejected in the second quarter of Buffalo's win at Las Vegas, Juszczyk said on social media that the volatile eight-year veteran spit on him when the Gardner-Johnson was playing for the Bears in the 49ers' 42-38 win over Chicago on Dec. 28.
"This is the least surprising thing ever," Juszczyk wrote. "@CGJXXIII spit on me last year when we beat Chicago."
If Gardner-Johnson spit on Juszczyk, it went unnoticed. His only penalty against the 49ers last season was for illegal use of hands.
Juszczyk called out Gardner-Johnson presumably because he's among a group of players who have had enough: Gardner-Johnson was named the league's most annoying player in the Athletic's anonymous player poll in 2024. His ejection Sunday was the second of his career. He's committed seven unnecessary roughness penalties and had three unsportsmanlike conduct infractions.
After Gardner-Johnson, then with the Eagles, was ejected from a 2024 game with the Commanders for committing two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, he flashed two middle fingers to Washington's crowd on his way to the locker room. Gardner-Johnson has been fined 15 times for more than $200,000. He was fined $11,194 last week for striking/kicking/kneeing during the Bills' win against the Rams last Monday.
Gardner-Johnson, 28, led the NFL in interceptions in 2022, and he ranks 10th among active players with 21 career picks. However, he's often worn out his welcome. He's spent time with five teams since signing with the Eagles in March 2024.
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There’s more to San Francisco with the Chronicle. Subscribe today for just 25¢.This article originally published at Serial spitter? 49ers' Kyle Juszczyk says C.J. Gardner-Johnson spit on him in 2025.