Jalen Ramsey received a fine from the NFL following an incident with Ja’Marr Chase.
According to NFL Network, Ramsey was penalized $14,491 for punching the Bengals wide receiver after Chase allegedly spat on him.
Chase, age 25, has been suspended for one game due to this, meaning he’ll sit out the upcoming match against the Patriots, which costs him $507,156.
Initially, officials missed seeing the spitting incident during the active play early in the fourth quarter of the Steelers’ 34-12 victory over the Bengals on November 16. As a result, Chase was not penalized for a second unsportsmanlike conduct violation.
After the game, Chase denied spitting, claiming, “I never spoke to that guy.”
However, video footage from FOX 19 clearly indicates that Chase did spit on Ramsey during the heated moment.
Ramsey, 31, remarked to the media that Chase’s actions were disrespectful and that his interest in football faded afterward. “He spat on me, so it’s over,” he stated. “With all due respect, I don’t give a damn about the football after that.”
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin suggested that Ramsey’s reaction was a natural response to such an incident. “If someone spits in your face, we’re not going to let you know anything,” he remarked.
Bengals coach Zac Taylor addressed the situation on Monday, recognizing that Chase “crossed the line,” but he still expressed his support for his player. “What happened crossed the line and he will admit that,” he noted. “Ja’Marr is one of my favorite players. I love how he handles everything he’s been a part of,” he added, emphasizing that a single mistake doesn’t overshadow all of Chase’s contributions.
