Buffalo Bills safety Sam Franklin Jr. wins NFL suspension appeal

Buffalo Bills safety and special teams captain Sam Franklin Jr. has successfully appealed a one-game suspension issued by the NFL. The league announced that the punishment for the alleged unsportsmanlike conduct—spitting at an opponent during a Week 6 game against the Las Vegas Raiders—has been reduced to a $14,926 fine.

Franklin and his agents, Harold C. Lewis and Christian Addison, have adamantly denied the allegations. Franklin previously shared video footage of the incident on social media to support his defense. With the suspension overturned, Franklin is eligible to play in Week 8 against the Baltimore Ravens.

In a separate matter, the NFL upheld the suspension of fellow Bills safety C. J. Gardner-Johnson, who was penalized for allegedly spitting toward Raiders tight end Brock Bowers. Gardner-Johnson is expected to be eligible to return to the active roster on November 2.