The Pittsburgh Steelers lost cornerback Jalen Ramsey in the second half of their victory over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday after he threw a punch at wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase. After the game, Ramsey revealed why he lost his cool during the middle of the divisional showdown.
According to Ramsey, who spoke to reporters following the game, Chase crossed the line by spitting in the face of Ramsey following the conclusion of a play early in the fourth quarter.
“Jalen Ramsey says Ja’Marr Chase spit on him,” Chris Adamski of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reported via his X account on Sunday afternoon.
“He spit on me, so it’s up,” Ramsey said. “I don’t give a [expletive] about football after that, respectfully.”
The two players stood face to face, presumably exchanging words before Ramsey grabbed Chase’s face mask and eventually threw a punch, connecting with Chase’s helmet.
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The altercation continued even after a referee threw a flag and stepped in between the two men in an attempt to de-escalate the situation. Ramsey was ultimately ejected from the contest and a Steelers assistant coach had to escort an irate Ramsey off the field.
Ramsey is likely to face a significant fine from the NFL for his on-field actions, though Chase could also be subject to punishment from the league if video evidence confirms Ramsey’s accusation of provocation via spitting.
Chase was allowed to remain in the game, meaning that if he did spit on/at Ramsey, the officials didn’t witness that part of the altercation. Chase finished the afternoon with just three catches for 30 yards, as the Bengals mustered only 12 points in a 22-point blowout loss.
Ramsey finished the day with four tackles, including two solo tackles, and a pass breakup. The Steelers moved to 6-4 with the victory, while Cincinnati dropped to 3-7 on the season.
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