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Why Bills changed minds and dumped C.J. Gardner-Johnson after spitting incident
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- Why Bills changed minds and dumped C.J. Gardner-Johnson after spitting incident
CJGJ
The bye week gave the Bills some extra time to truly weigh whether they still wanted C.J. Gardner-Johnson on their roster.
And now the polarizing agitator is without a team once again.
After Buffalo coach Joe Brady previously said Gardner-Johnson would stay with the team despite earning a one-game suspension for spitting on an opponent, the team opted to release him Tuesday since it felt he became too "high maintenance," according to Pro Football Talk .
Buffalo Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson celebrates after a false start call against the Los Angeles Rams in an NFL game on Monday, Oct. 12, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. AP Photo/Scott Strazzante
The Bills are not the first team to come to such a verdict.
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While he's a talented defensive back, he's not at a level anymore that teams are completely willing to look past the baggage that he brings like they may for a standout player.
Johnson has not lasted more than one year with a team since beginning his career with the Saints for three seasons from 2019-21.
The Saints traded him to the Eagles in 2022, and he signed with the Lions for one year in free agency before heading back to Philadelphia on a three-year contract in 2024.
The Eagles reunion lasted just one year before they shipped him to the Texans ahead of the 2025 season, and he lasted just three games with the team.
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Reported "friction behind the scenes" factored into Houston moving on from him.
Buffalo Bills head coach Joe Brady speaks at a press conference after an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Nov. 1, 2026. AP Photo/Adrian Kraus
A brief stint with the Ravens in which he did not appear in a game followed before he latched on with the Bears for 10 games to finish the 2025 season.
The Bills then signed Gardner-Johnson to a one-year pact this offseason and received just six games before they cut bait, with the cornerback logging one interception and 26 combined tackles.
He started all six of those games before he spit toward Raiders star tight end Brock Bowers in Week 6, which earned him a suspension.
Brady indicated before the team's Week 7 bye that Buffalo had no plans to cut him.
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"Look, C.J.'s a member of the Buffalo Bills," the first-year coach said on Oct. 19. "We brought him here for a reason, and he knows that he has to play better. He knows he has to be better for this team and just like everybody else, we've got to learn from this stuff and we have to improve and find ways to get better as the season goes. … It's an opportunity for him to grow and be a better teammate and football player when his opportunity comes up again."
The Bills routed the Ravens 36-10 in Week 8 with Gardner-Johnson suspended to improve to 6-1 and two days later, they concluded they didn't need him anymore.
Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Davante Adams, right, catches a touchdown over Bills safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Monday, Oct. 12, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. AP Photo/Gregory Bull
NFL teams tend to be forgiving so there could be a market for a proven defensive back, although nearly one-quarter of the league has already experienced what it's like to roster him.
