Pittsburgh Steelers DB Jalen Ramsey was ejected from the team’s Week 11 game for throwing a punch at WR Ja’Marr Chase. After the game, Ramsey said his reaction was because Chase spit on him, a claim that Chase denied. But a field-level video posted by FOX 19’s Austin Briski shows proof that Chase spat on Ramsey.
When asked if he spit on Ramsey after the game, Chase claimed he didn’t “spit on nobody,” per video by NBC 5’s Charlie Clifford.
The video of the altercation tells a different story and backs up Ramsey’s claim.
Chase wasn’t flagged, as referee Bill Vinovich said that they did not see him spit on Ramsey, per Brian Batko of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.
Steelers-Bengals head referee Bill Vinovich said they had been dealing with Jalen Ramsey and Ja’Marr Chase scuffling all day. Asked if they saw Chase spit: “No. Obviously, we did not. We did not see anything that rose to that level at all.” https://t.co/Kjb7GVgdgE
— Brian Batko (@BrianBatko) November 16, 2025
There’s precedent for ejection for spitting, as Philadelphia Eagles DT Jalen Carter was tossed from the team’s Week 1 game for spitting on Dallas Cowboys QB Dak Prescott. There’s a chance that Chase could be subject to discipline from the league. Carter was fined, not suspended, for his spit, but the ejection happened before the first snap of the game, making it essentially a one-game suspension. Given that Chase wasn’t ejected, he could be suspended for the Bengals’ Week 12 matchup against the New England Patriots.
Ramsey could also be suspended for his punch, but given the new context, the NFL could be more lenient with his punishment. He’s almost surely going to get fined even though his punch was in response to Chase spitting on him, but he may avoid a suspension.
There’s no doubt that the NFL is going to look into the incident further. Chase would’ve been ejected if he had been flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct, as it would’ve been his second penalty of that nature in the game since he and Ramsey got offsetting penalties for an altercation on the play before this incident.
The Steelers did a good job limiting Chase’s production on Sunday. He finished with just three catches for 30 yards after torching the Steelers with 16 receptions for 161 yards in the Week 7 matchup between the two teams. Chase’s 30 yards was his lowest output since Week 4 against the Denver Broncos, when he finished with 23 yards.
The incident and overall chippiness of Sunday’s game could reignite the Steelers-Bengals rivalry. There’s no love lost between the two sides, and it was one of the game’s most heated rivalries during the 2010s. Chase spitting on Ramsey, and then lying about it, will surely be something that’s remembered when these two meet again in the future.
Recommended for you