The Buffalo Bills traveled to Las Vegas on Sunday fresh off a 37-34 Monday Night Football win over the Rams. Safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson has rarely stayed out of the headlines since joining the team, and this trip added another chapter to his season. A tense stretch before halftime shifted the focus from the scoreboard to one player. The details behind that moment are still drawing attention across the league.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson ejected for spitting toward Raiders players
Gardner-Johnson was ejected from Sunday’s 33-30 win after spitting toward a group of Raiders players, including tight end Brock Bowers and center Tyler Linderbaum, late in the first half. He had been jawing with Bowers between plays.
An official flagged him for unsportsmanlike conduct and announced the disqualification. Replays appeared to show the spit coming while Bowers had his back turned.
C.J. Gardner-Johnson spits in the direction of Brock Bowers, leading to disqualification https://t.co/8zW4OYIP7o
— NFL on CBS (@NFLonCBS) October 18, 2026
Spitting at an opponent leads to an automatic ejection. Buffalo led 13-10 at the time, and Las Vegas tied it before halftime. The Bills played the second half without a defensive starter.
Through five games, Gardner-Johnson had 25 tackles, one interception and two passes defended. He has 395 tackles and 21 interceptions in his career.
It was the second ejection of Gardner-Johnson’s career. The first came in December 2024 with the Eagles.
After the game, Gardner-Johnson apologized to his teammates. “Let my emotions get above me, and I hurt my team. They brought me here to play big games like this, so I got to do better,” he told reporters.
Here’s C.J. Gardner-Johnson’s full postgame comments after being ejected from today’s game.
#Bills safety says he let emotions get the best of him.
CJGJ apologized to the team after the game. https://t.co/NrtXXS9ek6
— Jon Scott (@JonScottTV) October 19, 2026
That apology came two weeks after another postgame comment put him in the spotlight, and that story adds important context.
Gardner-Johnson’s Efton Chism controversy
The earlier controversy followed Buffalo’s 29-26 home loss to the Patriots on Oct. 4. Efton Chism III caught a 23-yard touchdown with 1:50 left to win it for New England. Afterward, Gardner-Johnson called the receiver a practice-squad player and suggested the catch would not be repeated.
Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel answered the next day on The Greg Hill Show. He pointed to Gardner-Johnson’s own path through several NFL teams, turning the label back on the safety. Chism stayed polite and said he respected Gardner-Johnson.
The remarks also drew criticism on national television. ESPN analysts urged the Bills to move on from the safety, and Rex Ryan was among those who spoke out. Those comments look different now, since another emotional moment has again overshadowed his play.
Buffalo improved to 5-1 and holds first place in the AFC East, with a home game against the Ravens on Nov. 1. Las Vegas fell to 3-3 and hosts the Rams on Oct. 25. The league could still review Gardner-Johnson’s actions.
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