The NFL has rescinded the one-game suspension originally given to Buffalo Bills safety Sam Franklin, but the controversy over the decision is not dying down.
The league had initially suspended Franklin for one game after claiming that he spit on a Las Vegas Raiders player during last week’s win. Franklin denied the allegation and appealed the suspension, with the league announcing later in the week that it rescinded the suspension and leveled a fine instead.
The announcement sparked scrutiny toward the league for its initial decision, which some claim came without strong evidence.
NFL Facing Scrutiny Over Sam Franklin Decision
Even before the league took back the suspension, Franklin and his agent vehemently denied that he spit on anyone during the game. Franklin instead shared a video that appeared to show a Raiders player hitting him in a sensitive area during an extra point attempt, though it was not clear if that hit was intentional.
“We adamantly deny Sam spit on anyone,” Franklin’s agent Harold Lewis told The Associated Press. “We look forward to the process to fully exonerate him tomorrow at the hearing and (provide him) the apology he deserves.”
After the league announced that Franklin’s suspension was rescinded, WGR 550 reporter Sal Capaccio questioned why the NFL would have issued the punishment in the first place if, on further review, it could not find evidence he spit on an opponent.
“This begs the question: why was he suspended in the first place?” Capaccio wrote in a post on X. “If there was evidence of spitting, the suspension would have held. The original suspension was handed out with no evidence?!”
Capaccio added that the league’s original announcement led to some unfair insinuations about Franklin.
“For about 48 hours Sam Franklin was not only accused, but judged to be a guy who spit at an opponent, even though he didn’t,” Capaccio wrote in a subsequent post on X. “And because of that, his name will always be linked to doing that, and many won’t see (or care) that he didn’t. That sucks.”
Sam Franklin Could Play Bigger Role
While Franklin has largely been a special teams player, he could have a bigger role in the team’s next game against the Baltimore Ravens. Starting safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson was also ejected from the win over the Raiders and later suspended for a game when he was seen spitting on an opponent.
Gardner-Johnson apologized for the incident and also appealed his suspension, but the NFL upheld his and the veteran safety will miss the team’s Week 8 game against the Ravens.
NFL Under Fire for Decision on Suspended Bills Safety