Bills Release Safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson
Buffalo cut the safety one day after he became eligible to return from a one-game suspension for spitting at Las Vegas Raiders opponents.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Football
The Buffalo Bills released safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, one day after he became eligible to return from a one-game suspension for spitting toward Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers and center Tyler Linderbaum during Buffalo's 33-30 win on Oct. 18. The release was reported by NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
Why it matters
Gardner-Johnson, who signed a one-year contract with Buffalo in March, had started at safety alongside Cole Bishop before the suspension. He said he let his emotions get the best of him and hurt his team, and the move leaves Buffalo's secondary without one of its opening-day starters.
The release follows a one-game unpaid suspension upheld on appeal for spitting toward Raiders players, and Gardner-Johnson missed Buffalo's 36-10 win over the Ravens during that stretch. The stub does not report what the Bills will do at safety next.
The players
C.J. Gardner-Johnson
A 28-year-old safety who signed a one-year deal with the Bills in March and had started at the position this season.
Buffalo Bills
The NFL franchise based in Buffalo, New York, currently 6-1 this season.
Brock Bowers
Las Vegas Raiders tight end who was among the players Gardner-Johnson spat toward during the Oct. 18 game.
The details
Gardner-Johnson was ejected during Buffalo's Oct. 18 win over the Raiders, and the NFL suspended him for one game without pay. He missed the Ravens game before the Bills released him, and earlier he had criticized Patriots wide receiver Efton Chism III after Buffalo's 29-26 loss to New England on Oct. 4.
Timeline
Oct. 4: Gardner-Johnson criticized Chism after the Bills' loss to the Patriots.
Oct. 18: Gardner-Johnson was ejected for spitting during the win over the Raiders.
Oct. 19: Brady said the Bills had brought Gardner-Johnson in for a reason.
Nov. 3: The Bills released Gardner-Johnson, one day after he became eligible to return.
Nov. 9: Buffalo visits the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football.
Season Trajectory
Under the NFL's conduct rules, an unpaid one-game suspension upheld on appeal is the standard path for player-on-player misconduct, and the Bills' release shows a team choosing to cut ties rather than wait for the discipline to end. The move comes while Buffalo holds a 6-1 record heading into a visit to the Vikings on Nov. 9.
Fantasy managers who had Gardner-Johnson on their rosters will need to find a replacement for his defensive production. Bills fans will see the secondary reshuffled as the team heads toward its Nov. 9 game in Minnesota.
The takeaway
A roster cut after a suspension shows how quickly a player's standing can change when on-field conduct becomes a team issue. Watch how Buffalo rebalances its safety group in the coming weeks.
What happens next
The Bills visit the Minnesota Vikings on Monday Night Football on Nov. 9.
Further reading
For more on the team's current roster moves, see Football coverage.
