Ja’Marr Chase’s decision to spit on Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Jalen Rams ey will cost him a pretty penny.
The incident occurred during the matchup between the Steelers and Bengals on Sunday and it prompted Ramsey to throw a punch at Cincinnati’s star wide receiver. At the time, Chase’s spit wasn’t seen by referees, so Chase was allowed to continue the game while Ramsey was ejected. However, upon further review after the game, officials saw the spit on film and Chase was suspended for one-game as a result.
"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,'" the league said in a statement regarding Chase's suspension.
Ja'Marr Chase's suspension will cost him over $500,000
Chase appealed the suspension, but the decision was upheld by the league, so Chase will be inactive for Cincinnati’s game against the AFC-leading New England Patriots on Sunday afternoon.
This obviously isn’t great news for the Bengals, Cincinnati fans, or fantasy football managers who happen to have Chase on their roster. It’s also rough news for Chase, as he’ll have to forfeit his hefty game check for the contest.
The suspension will cost Chase his weekly paycheck of $448,333 as well as his per game active bonus of $58,823 for a staggering total of $507,156.
Hearing officer Jordy Nelson, jointly appointed by the NFL and NFLPA, has upheld the one-game suspension of Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 19, 2025
Here is the total cost to Chase: pic.twitter.com/bPvk77A3Xa
This will be the first suspension of Chase’s career, so it’s not like he has a pattern of bad behavior or anything. He simply got caught up in the heat of the moment and let his emotions get the best of him. He’ll probably learn his lesson after losing out on half-a-million dollars.
"I've always been impressed with how Ja'Marr has handled himself because he is in a lot of these situations where he's got a target as a top player," Bengals coach Zac Taylor said of Chase after the spitting situation. "He gets a lot of respect that way, so guys try to do a lot of things to get his attention and get him off his game. I've always thought it was unbelievable how he's handled in some really high-pressure, emotional decisions.
"Obviously, what happened is crossing the line. We can't have that, and I know he'll own up to that."
When it comes to spitting on an opposing player, there was precedent set this very season, as Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter was suspended for the first game of the season for spitting at Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott prior to kickoff.
Once his suspension is served, we should see Chase back out on the field for Cincinnati’s Week 13 matchup with the Baltimore Ravens on Thursday Night Football.