Bengals star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase will miss a game and a paycheck after the NFL suspended him Monday for spitting in the face of Steelers defensive back Jalen Ramsey.
The altercation in which Chase spat on Ramsey was the second confrontation between the two. Cameras caught the pair getting in each other’s faces in the fourth quarter of the Bengals-Steelers game on Sunday.
The hit to Chase’s wallet will consist of his weekly $448,333 game check, along with a game-active bonus of $58,823.
According to Ramsey, the confrontation was nothing more than typical jawing between opponents, but when Chase spat on him, it escalated into a physical altercation.
For his part, Chase denies spitting on Ramsey.
This is the second major spitting incident of the year. The first occurred early in the season when Philadelphia’s Jalen Carter spat on Cowboys QB Dak Prescott. In that incident, Carter did not appeal the suspension. Chase has indicated he intends to appeal his suspension. It is believed that the appeals officer who would hear his case is former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson.
A few weeks ago, Nelson handled the appeal of Washington Commanders linebacker Frankie Luvu, who was fined and suspended by the league for a hip-drop tackle. Luvu’s suspension was reduced to a fine.
