Second spitter: Bills' Sam Franklin Jr. suspended 1 game

Oct 21 (Field Level Media) - Sam Franklin Jr. became the second Buffalo Bills safety ​to receive a one-game suspension without pay from the NFL for spitting at a Las Vegas Raiders player on Sunday.

Franklin, a special teams ‌captain, received his punishment for unsportsmanlike conduct from the league on Wednesday morning, two days after teammate ⁠C.J. Gardner-Johnson was banned one game ​for the same offense.

Gardner-Johnson was flagged ⁠for unsportsmanlike conduct and ejected after spitting in the direction of Raiders ‌tight end Brock Bowers ‌in the Bills' 33-30 road win.

Per the NFL release, Franklin spat at ⁠an opposing player after Las Vegas made ⁠an extra point with 1:32 left in the fourth quarter.

The spitting infractions violate Rule 12, Section 3, Article 1, which applies to "any act which is contrary to the generally understood principles of sportsmanship."

Franklin plans to appeal, according to multiple reports, and denies that he spat at a player. ‌Franklin posted a video clip to his Instagram account ​showing the extra-point play in slow motion but cuts off before the play ends.

"Not a dirty play what so ever!" Franklin wrote as a caption to the video clip. "Will always defend myself though. Still won't spit on anyone."

His agents, Harold C. Lewis and Christian Addison, said in a statement that they "adamantly deny" that Franklin spit at anyone.

"We look forward to the ​process fully exonerating him tomorrow at the hearing and the apology he deserves," the agents ‌said in the ‌statement.

The suspensions ⁠are set to begin Oct. 26, after the Bills' Week 7 bye. Franklin and Gardner-Johnson will be eligible to return to the active roster on Nov. 2, following the team's Nov. 1 game against the Baltimore Ravens.

Franklin, 30, has recorded ‌six tackles on special ​teams in six games this season. He has ‌124 tackles and a ⁠99-yard interception ​return for a touchdown in 97 career games (nine starts) with the Carolina Panthers (2020-24) and Bills.

(--Field ​Level Media)

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