49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk says Bills' Gardner-Johnson spat on him in 2025
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The gist
49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk said C.J. Gardner-Johnson spat on him during a 2025 win over Chicago.
The claim surfaced after Gardner-Johnson was ejected for spitting at another player.
Background
Kyle Juszczyk is the San Francisco 49ers fullback, who joined the team in 2017 as a free agent shortly after head coach Kyle Shanahan was hired. C.J. Gardner-Johnson is a Buffalo Bills defensive back described as a volatile eight-year veteran. Juszczyk's claim came after Gardner-Johnson was ejected from Buffalo's game against the Raiders for apparently spitting on tight end Brock Bowers, and it is not the first time Gardner-Johnson has been in conflict with a member of the 49ers offense.
How it unfolded
- Dec 28, 2025Gardner-Johnson, then with the Chicago Bears, allegedly spat on Juszczyk during the 49ers' 42-38 win; Juszczyk said this was the first time the incident was mentioned.
- Oct 18, 2026Gardner-Johnson, now with the Bills, appeared to spit on Raiders tight end Brock Bowers, was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct and ejected in Buffalo's 33-30 win.
- Oct 18, 2026Juszczyk posted on social media that Gardner-Johnson spat on him last year when the 49ers beat Chicago.
- Oct 19, 2026The league suspended Gardner-Johnson.
- Oct 22, 2026Juszczyk won his appeal over fines issued by the NFL.
Who’s saying what
- Party
- Juszczyk called the spitting claim "the least surprising thing ever" and said Gardner-Johnson spat on him last year when the 49ers beat Chicago.
- Party
- Gardner-Johnson neither confirmed nor denied spitting at Bowers when asked directly, and later issued an apology via an Instagram story.
Still unverified
Juszczyk's claim that Gardner-Johnson spat on him in the 2025 Bears game is his own social media revelation, and sources say it is the first time the incident has been mentioned; Gardner-Johnson neither confirmed nor denied spitting at Bowers.