The football world is still talking about the heated confrontation that unfolded in the closing moments of the Pittsburgh Steelers’ dominant 34-12 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals last Sunday.
What started as typical late-game tension between Cincinnati wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase and Pittsburgh cornerback Jalen Ramsey quickly crossed the line. Both players were flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct, but Ramsey picked up a second penalty—and an automatic ejection—after grabbing Chase’s facemask.
Replay footage later revealed the trigger: Chase had spit on Ramsey.
“He spit on me, so, it’s up,” Ramsey told reporters afterward. “I don’t give a [expletive] about football after that. Respectfully.”
The officials missed the spitting in real time, but the league’s post-game review did not. On Wednesday, the NFL handed Chase a one-game suspension for this Sunday’s matchup against the New England Patriots, costing the star receiver more than $507,000 in game checks.
Attention has now shifted to Ramsey. Although he avoided suspension, the league is still deciding whether his retaliatory actions—grabbing Chase’s helmet and earning two unsportsmanlike penalties on the same play—merit additional discipline. No suspension is expected, but fines are announced every Saturday at 4 p.m. ET, and sources indicate Ramsey could be docked just over $12,000 if the penalty stands.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin downplayed his cornerback’s reaction in the moment, essentially framing it as a natural response to being disrespected. The league office, however, often takes a stricter stance on physical retaliation, even when provoked.
If the fine is issued, Ramsey is expected to have strong grounds for an appeal, given the clear provocation caught on video.
Chase, meanwhile, fought his suspension through the appeals process, reportedly claiming that if he had intended to spit on Ramsey, he would have aimed for the face rather than the jersey. The argument failed to sway the league, and the one-game ban was upheld.
As the Bengals prepare to face the Patriots without their top wideout, the incident serves as another reminder that personal pride can come at a steep professional cost in today’s NFL.
