Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Jalen Ramsey has been fined by the NFL after a recent altercation with Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, in which Chase spat on Ramsey and Ramsey retaliated by punching Chase. The fine will cost Ramsey $14,491 for Unsportsmanlike Conduct.
According to Chase, he did not spit on the Steelers CB, but according to a video of the incident, he certainly did.
Jalen Ramsey was fined $14,491 for Unsportsmanlike Conduct for his Week 11 altercation with Bengals WR Ja'Marr Chase #Steelers #NFL pic.twitter.com/5DooiFDJGn
— Steelers Depot 7⃣ (@Steelersdepot) November 22, 2025
For his part in the incident, Chase was subject to a mandatory one-game suspension for the Bengals' Week 12 matchup against the 9-2 New England Patriots. Chase appealed the suspension, but the league upheld it, and Chase will miss the matchup.
This marks Ramsey's second large fine of this season, after a Week 9 incident with Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. resulted in a physical altercation. For hitting Pittman, Ramsey was fined $17,389.
Fans were frustrated with the league's choice to fine Ramsey, with many believing that his retaliation was to scale with the inciting action to spit on him.
"I mean he got spit on which is assault so I don’t see how you fine him," One fan wrote.
"Ig the NFL wanted him to take it like a good little b----💔😭" Another wrote.
"Given what we know happened, I don’t think he should’ve been fined," Another wrote.
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) runs warmups before the first quarter of the NFL Week 11 game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025. / Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
The incident began during the Bengals vs. Steelers Week 11 game, which ended in a 34-12 Steelers victory. With just over 12 minutes left in the game, Ramsey was ejected from the game after a verbal altercation escalated into a physical one, and the two players were physically separated. According to Ramsey, his retaliation was the only course of action under the circumstances.
"He spit on me," Ramsey said, per ESPN's Brooke Pryor. "I don't give a f--- about football after that, respectfully. I'm always going to be all for trash talking, s--- talking, things like that. I actually enjoy that part of the game. I think that people know that."
Chase denied spitting on Ramsey after the game, per The Athletic's Paul Dehner Jr.
"I never opened my mouth to that guy," Chase said. "I didn't spit on nobody."
The league specified why Chase's conduct warranted a suspension.
"During the fourth quarter, Chase spit on Pittsburgh cornerback Jalen Ramsey, violating Rule 12, Section 3, Article 1, which applies to 'any act which is contrary to the generally understood principles of sportsmanship,'" Per NFL Staff.
The Steelers will prepare for a Week 12 matchup against the Chicago Bears, slated for 1:00 pm EST.
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