CINCINNATI, Ohio — The NFL has suspended Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase for one game without pay for spitting on Steelers defensive back Jalen Ramsey in the fourth quarter of Cincinnati’s 34-12 loss in Pittsburgh.
That means Chase will miss Sunday’s game vs. the Patriots.
NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported that Chase will appeal the suspension.
The incident was caught on video by Austin Briski of Fox 19 Cincinnati and went viral shortly after the game.
Ramsey retaliated to the spit by grabbing Chase’s facemask with his left hand and then throwing a punch with his right. Ramsey was ejected as a result.
After the game, Ramsey accused Chase of spitting on him.
Chase denied the incident after the game before Briski’s video surfaced, which clearly shows Chase spitting on Ramsey, leading to their altercation.
“I ain’t never opened my mouth to that guy,” Chase told reporters, including Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, after the game. “He don’t like some of the words I told him. We’d been going back and forth the whole time so I’m sure something got under his skin.
“I didn’t spit on nobody.”
If Chase’s appeal is unsuccessful, Sunday’s game vs. the 9-2 Patriots will be the first one he’s missed since sitting out a Week 16 game vs. the Steelers in 2023 due to a separated shoulder.
During his Monday press conference, Bengals coach Zac Taylor addressed the incident and stood by his star receiver.
“Obviously, what happened is crossing the line. We can’t have that. And I know he’ll own up to that,” Taylor told reporters. “But beyond that, I’ve always sat up here and praised Ja’Marr because he’s one of the best leaders we’ve got.
“I love how this guy handles everything he’s been a part of. So making one mistake doesn’t disregard everything this guy’s done that’s been positive for us.”
Chase is the second NFL player to be punished this season for spitting on an opposing player. In the season opener, Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter was ejected for spitting on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott before the first play from scrimmage.
The NFL disciplined Carter by forfeiting his check from that game, making it essentially a one-game suspension.
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