Select Few
Pick a list and Chase keeps climbing up it past the biggest names in the sport and at the position. For instance, Chase needs 109 yards to pass The GOAT Jerry Rice for fourth most receiving yards in a player's first five NFL seasons behind Justin Jefferson, Torry Holt, and Randy Moss.
Chase didn't want to offend anyone when asked if there is one of those great ones that has caught his eye or intrigued him enough to want to meet.
"You kind of put me in a spot right now," Chase said after Thursday's practice. "I grew up watching highlight tapes all day. I never had a chance to have a conversation with a professional athlete growing up. I never wanted to put myself in that position … I wouldn't mind asking Keenan Allen some questions."
Allen may not be on any of the first-five-year lists Chase is on right now, but he certainly will be when it gets to longevity. Chase loves the way Allen runs routes and he's run them well enough to be 14th on the all-time receptions list with 1,026.
But forget having lunch or anything like that.
"I just want to sit down in the film room watch some film. I wouldn't mind doing that. Keenan Allen's one of the guys. Cooper Kupp," said Chase, who played against Kupp in the Super Bowl. "It's a little different when you played against him because when you played against him, the majority of time you try to watch the defense, not him. So it's like you're watching him, but you're watching defense too."
Besides, that would be an expensive lunch if he and Kupp broke bread. You're talking about the last two Triple Crown winners.
"Hopefully he can pay," Chase said.
Little Brother Again
Now that quarterback Joe Burrow is back, Chase can go back to "messing," with his little brother.
"I bump him, I head-butt him, punch him, whatever I can. I treat him like my little brother. I like bullying him a little bit," Chase said. "I can't usually do that when he was injured, but just having him out there, it's just best for everybody. The energy feels good for the whole offense, just making sure he's back. So he definitely puts smiles on people's faces."
On Monday, Chase had no idea Burrow was returning to practice until he saw him getting dressed.
"It was pretty fast. I didn't expect it to be so fast," Chase said of the comeback. "When I saw him getting dressed for practice, my first thing in my head was, I just remember telling (the media) he needed to go get ready to come back and … he's already back. So it happens fast, believe it.
"I think his personality makes him unique. The way he approaches the game makes him crazy. How much he loves the game makes him crazy. That's how much passion he has behind it, and nothing's wrong with that. He just wants to win, and you need people around you like that."