The NFL has upheld C.J. Gardner-Johnson’s one-game suspension, meaning the Bills defensive back will sit out Buffalo’s next game.
NFL Senior Vice President of Football and International Communications Michael Signora announced the ruling, saying, "Hearing officer Jordy Nelson, jointly appointed by the NFL and the NFLPA, has upheld the one-game suspension of C.J. Gardner-Johnson."
Gardner-Johnson had been suspended after the Bills’ Week 6 win over the Las Vegas Raiders, when the league disciplined two Buffalo defensive backs for spitting during the game. Sam Franklin was the other player hit with a suspension, and both players appealed.
For Gardner-Johnson, the appeal did not change the outcome. His spitting incident spread quickly online, and the league’s decision to keep the suspension in place was not a major shock.
The timing gives Buffalo a little breathing room, at least on the calendar. The Bills have a Week 7 bye before returning in Week 8 to face the Baltimore Ravens, but Gardner-Johnson will be unavailable for that matchup.
That leaves Buffalo looking at a secondary that was already under a cloud this season without one of its key defensive backs. If Franklin’s appeal is denied as well, the Bills could be even thinner on the back end.
Now the attention shifts to how Buffalo fills the gap. The club has time to sort out a plan before the Ravens game, whether that means elevating Tre’Davious White from the practice squad or adding someone to the 53-man roster. Either way, the Bills need another body in the secondary before next weekend’s matchup with a Ravens offense that could be waiting with Lamar Jackson and Zay Flowers.
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