It was a spat — or a spit — between two All-Pro NFL players: Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase and Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Jalen Ramsey.
And it’s going to cost Chase a half a million dollars unless the appeal he filed goes his way.
Chase was caught on video spitting in Ramsey’s direction during Cincinnati’s lopsided loss to Pittsburgh on Sunday. Ramsey retaliated by throwing a punch at Chase and was ejected.
The NFL suspended Chase for one game, which would cost him a week’s pay plus a bonus for being on the active roster totaling $507,156.
After the game, Chase denied spitting and referee Bill Vinovich told pool reporters “We did not see anything that rose to that level at all.” However, video captured the mid-air saliva.
Ramsey, a 10-year veteran who helped the Rams win Super Bowl LVI, responded violently and had to be restrained.
“I’m always going to be all for trash talking … stuff like that,” Ramsey told reporters after the game. “I actually enjoy that part of the game. I think people know that. But as soon as he spit, it was like ‘f— that.’”
Ramsey, 31, said that Chase snatched his mouthpiece earlier in the game, which prompted a scuffle that resulted in offsetting unsportsmanlike conduct penalties. Chase had been guilty of that behavior before against the division rival Steelers, grabbing the mouthpiece of defensive back Ahkello Witherspoon and flipping off safety Minkah Fitzpatrick during a game in 2022. Chase was fined for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Ramsey, who played for the Rams from 2019-2022, is a seven-time Pro Bowl and three-time All-Pro cornerback on a Hall of Fame trajectory.
Chase, 25, has been an elite receiver since being drafted out of LSU in 2021. He was Rookie of the Year and an All-Pro in 2021 and last season again was an All-Pro selection after leading the NFL with 127 catches, 1,708 receiving yards and 17 touchdowns.
This season he already has 79 receptions, including 16 for 161 yards in the Bengals’ 33-30 victory over the Steelers on Oct. 16. Last Sunday, however, he had only three catches for 30 yards in the 34-12 loss.
Despite the appeal, Bengals coach Zac Taylor made no excuses for Chase’s actions Monday.
“Obviously what happened is crossing the line, and we can’t have that,” Taylor said. “I know he’ll own up to that.”
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