CJGJ Release Explained by Bills' Joe Brady, How Spitting Incident Impacted Decision

Buffalo Bills head coach Joe Brady detailed the team's recent decision to release safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson.

"There was a lot to evaluate," Brady told reporters Thursday, via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. "You know, we got together and figured out, 'Hey, this is what we felt like this was the best thing to do for the Buffalo Bills.' I have so much love for [C.J.]. Like, I really do. I loved getting to coach him. I loved being around him. I loved — I did love the edge, and his personality allowing him to be him, right?, and as a person. So that didn't make the decision easy at all.

"But we also have to be an organization that, you know, it's unfortunate obviously what happened, you know? But it also opened a door and an opportunity for guys the other day, and that was a part of evaluation. And seeing how those guys kind of played, and you know with a lot of the roster moves. And, again, this wasn't — we didn't come out of the game post Vegas and say, 'This is what we were going to do. We're just gonna do this the following Monday.' We were, you know, the plan was him being here and we were going to evaluate it after the game in Baltimore. And we felt like with some of the moving parts we had to do it was the best interests of the football team."

Gardner-Johnson was released by the Bills on Tuesday after serving a one-game suspension that he received from the NFL for spitting towards Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers during a Week 6 matchup between the two teams.

The safety later apologized for his actions on social media.

"My passion and competitive nature have always been a huge part of who I am, but I also understand that there is a line that should never be crossed," Gardner-Johnson wrote in a post on his Instagram story (h/t CBS Sports' Zachary Pereles ). "The gesture I made toward my opponent was inappropriate, unnecessary, and not a reflection of the respect I have for him or this game. There is no excuse for my actions, and I take full accountability. No matter how emotional or intense the competition gets, I have to hold myself to a higher standard."

The 28-year-old has faced punishment from the NFL on several occasions throughout his career, as he's racked up 15 fines across his eight seasons in the league (via Spotrac ).

Gardner-Johnson was in the midst of his inaugural campaign in Buffalo after joining the team on a one-year contract worth up to $6 million in free agency.

He started in each of the Bills' first six games of the season, recording 26 tackles, two passes defended and one interception. Gardner-Johnson was part of a struggling Buffalo secondary, as it currently owns the NFL's No. 30 pass defense by allowing 254.7 yards per game through the air.

After suiting up for five teams over the past four seasons, the veteran is now searching for a new landing spot before the end of the year.