Buffalo Bills defensive back CJ Gardner-Johnson faced sharp criticism from former NFL coach Bill Cowher after being ejected for spitting during Sunday's game against the Las Vegas Raiders. The incident sparked an angry reaction from the CBS studio crew.

Cowher blasted Gardner-Johnson for putting his team at a disadvantage through an avoidable act of misconduct.

“That's selfish,” Cowher said during the NFL on CBS broadcast. “Spitting? It's selfish.”

"What are you doing???" – @nateburleson

"That's selfish" – @CowherCBS

The crew reacts to C.J. Gardner-Johnson getting kicked out of the game for spitting pic.twitter.com/7JZ6QxU8fo

— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) October 18, 2026

The former Pittsburgh Steelers coach acknowledged that confrontations are common in football but insisted Gardner-Johnson crossed a line. “Listen, I get it. Schuffles happen. The jaw jacking happens, but you can't do this.”

Cowher continued, calling the behavior “childish,” “immature,” and “unprofessional.”

“You're supposed to be one of the veterans on the team, and you get kicked out of the game for spitting?”

Fellow CBS analyst Nate Burleson also expressed disbelief, asking Garder-Johnson, “What are you doing?”

Cowher emphasized that controlling your emotions can determine the outcome of competitive games. “In games like this, your ability to control emotions and stay focused will be the difference in this game,” he said.

Gardner-Johnson's ejection left Buffalo without a defensive back for the remainder of the contest.

The controversy also attracted attention from San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk, who publicly accused Gardner-Johnson of spitting on him during a previous game.

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Juszczyk described the latest incident as “the least surprising thing ever.”

Gardner-Johnson later acknowledged that his actions hurt the Bills, saying he needed to control his emotions better.

For Cowher, the incident highlighted the responsibility veteran players carry to demonstrate discipline.

His criticism underscored how one moment of poor judgment can overshadow a player's contributions on the field.