Sam Franklin Jr. Wins Appeal; Spitting Suspension Reduced To Fine

Buffalo Bills safety and special teams captain Sam Franklin Jr. won his appeal to overturn a one-game suspension handed down by the NFL for allegedly spitting at a Las Vegas Raiders player. Jointly appointed hearing officer James Thrash reduced the discipline from a single-game ban to a $14,926 fine for unsportsmanlike conduct, clearing Franklin to play in the Bills' next game.