Buffalo Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson apologized for an incident in the second quarter of Sunday's game against the Las Vegas Raiders in which he spit at Raiders tight end Brock Bowers.

Gardner-Johnson, who was ejected on the spot, addressed "my opponent, my teammates, my organization, and everyone who supports me" in an Instagram story.

"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," Gardner-Johnson said. "The gesture I made toward my opponent was inappropriate, unnecessary, and not a reflection of the respect I have for him or this game. 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."

Both players involved in the scuffle said in their postgame media availability that they were jawing at each other when the incident occurred. Gardner-Johnson said he expects to receive a fine from the NFL.

"I love this game, I respect this game, and I will always protect the integrity of this game," Gardner-Johnson said. "My actions will speak louder than words moving forward."

Spitting is an automatic ejection. Last year, Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter got ejected six seconds into the first game of the season for spitting on Dak Prescott, and later in the season, Ja'Marr Chase got suspended one game for spitting on Jalen Ramsey (who got ejected for punching Chase after the alleged spitting incident). Initially, the refereeing crew did not see Chase spit, which is why only Ramsey was ejected, but the NFL determined after the game that Chase indeed spat on Ramsey, resulting in the suspension.

It's the second ejection of Gardner-Johnson's NFL career; the other came in 2024, when he accrued two personal foul penalties in the same game. He then gave middle fingers to the Commanders' crowd on the way out.

Gardner-Johnson is in his first season in Buffalo — his sixth different team and fourth in the past three years. One of the game's most fiery competitors, he has been a key part of the Bills' defense thanks to his versatility in the secondary, so it's a big loss Sunday and potentially beyond, should the NFL choose to suspend Gardner-Johnson.

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