Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase has been suspended without pay for one game for spitting on Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Jalen Ramsey. The incident occurred during the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game, which the Bengals lost 34-12.
Ramsey responded by grabbing Chase by the facemask and punching him, resulting in Ramsey’s ejection. Officials said after the game they did not see the spitting, and Chase was not penalised at the time. However, video footage from a Cincinnati television station showed the incident.
The NFL stated that Chase was disciplined under a rule covering “any act which is contrary to the generally understood principles of sportsmanship.” Chase denied spitting after the game but declined to speak to reporters in the locker room on Monday. He will miss the Bengals’ home match against New England this weekend and has a right to appeal.
According to the NFL Players Association database, Chase will forfeit at least $448,333 in base salary as a result of the suspension. The Bengals, who have lost three consecutive games, are currently 3-7 on the season.
Bengals coach Zac Taylor said he had spoken to Chase about the incident before the league announced the punishment. “For a guy that has done everything we can to build our organization around, he’s been awesome,” Taylor said. “He’s going to have to own up for that. That will be part of his journey.”
The suspension marks the second time this NFL season that a player has been disciplined for spitting. Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter was initially suspended for one game after spitting on Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott, but ultimately forfeited his Week 1 game check and avoided a further ban due to time served.
