Ja'Marr Chase's unsportsmanlike conduct penalty cost him financially.
The Cincinnati Bengals star wide receiver was fined $31,599 on Saturday for his emotional outburst toward a referee during the team's loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.
With the Bengals at the Chiefs' 34-yard line, Joe Burrow passed to Chase, who completed the pass for 4 yards.
Chase rose to his feet and headed to the huddle, where he delivered a lengthy lecture to referee Alex Kemp about a tackle by Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie.
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Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) argues with a referee after being tackled by Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie during the fourth quarter at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024. (Sam Green/The Enquirer/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
Chase was pulled back into the huddle and after the penalty, Burrow shoved the star wide receiver off Kemp, which halted any momentum the Bengals were generating at the time and led to an Evan McPherson field goal.
The Chiefs ultimately won 26-25.
Kemp said officials told Chase they believed McDuffie's tackle was a hip drop violation and should not be penalized.
“It's pretty clear,” Kemp said of the reason for Chase's penalty. “It was just a rant against the umpires. That's it. There was no interpretation whatsoever. I'm not going to repeat what he said, but the words he used there was no interpretation. It was just a rant.”
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (9) tries to hold back wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1), who is yelling at a referee, during the fourth quarter at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Sunday, Sept. 15, 2024. (Sam Green/The Enquirer/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
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“The answer is simple: foul language used by adults versus direct, personal abuse directed at a referee,” Kemp added. “That's the line. Once that line is crossed, we should never allow that to happen in professional football.”
The NFL alleged that Chase had engaged in “abusive language toward a referee.”
It was a tough loss for Cincinnati, which is 0-2 after missing the playoffs last year due to Burrow's season-ending injury.
Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie (22) takes down Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase (1) during the fourth quarter at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Kansas, Sunday, September 15, 2024. (Sam Green/The Enquirer/USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
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The Bengals need to get on a roll, and they'll look to do just that on Monday night when they take on Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders.
Fox News' Ryan Gaydas contributed to this report.
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