It’s not a Steelers-Bengals matchup without a few fireworks. Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Jalen Ramsey and Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase helped deliver in Week 11.
Both players received offsetting unsportsmanlike conduct penalties early in the fourth quarter. However, Ramsey also received an ejection and an addition 15-yard penalty for throwing a punch at the Bengals wideout.
After the game, it was revealed Ramsey responded with the punch at Chase after the receiver spit on him.
The Steelers veteran defensive back has a reputation for trash-talking and loves engaging it that. But Ramsey made it very clear to reporters that spitting is crossing the line.
“We was talking for real, which I’m cool with,” Ramsey told the media, via TribLive.com’s Chris Adamski. “Then, yeah, as soon as he spit, yeah, it was like it was what it was.
I ain’t gonna tolerate that part of it.”
Jalen Ramsey Explains Ja’Marr Chase Exchange Which Led to Punch, Ejection
According to Ramsey’s side of the story, the defensive back and Chase were jawing at each other for quite awhile before Ramsey’s punch. Based on Ramsey’s account, though, the officials were deescalating things between the two players.
That’s when, suddenly, things went haywire with the spit and then a punch.
“Respectfully, I’m always gonna be all for trashing talking and stuff like that. I actually enjoy that part of the game. I think people know that, and that’s what we was doing,” Ramsey said, via Adamski. “After the first one, the first little thing, the play before, he tried to like crack block me or whatever, you know what I mean? I got up off that, and then we got up talking or whatever.
“He snatched my mouthpiece off my face mask, and that’s when I mushed his face mask, and then we whatever.
“That was just a little scuffle, but the refs told him right there, like, ‘Hey, ya’ll chill. No more of this.’ Cool. Just talk, so let’s keep it clear, so you know, everybody staying here, whatever the next play.”
Ramsey posted four combined tackles and one pass defense before his ejection. While he was obviously annoyed over the ejection, Chase had an even more frustrating afternoon.
Chase caught only three of his 10 targets. He also had just 30 receiving yards.
Chase Denies Spitting, Video Shows Otherwise
What led to Ramsey’s punch became a “he said, he said” situation during the postgame pressers. While Ramsey claimed Chase spit at him, the Bengals receiver denied doing so.
“I didn’t spit on nobody,” Chase told reporters.
But Fox 19 sports photographer Austin Briski posted a video on X that clearly shows Chase spit at Ramsey during the fourth quarter.
Players who throw punches have typically received a one-game suspension this season. Ramsey could get the same punishment from the league.
However, it will be interesting to see if the fact Chase spit at Ramsey changes the league’s potential punishment for the Steelers defensive back. Chase could also be in line for a significant fine or even a suspension himself.
The aftermath of Chase’s spit and Ramsey’s subsequent punch is just beginning. But Sunday, the Steelers earned the last laugh with a 34-12 victory to improve to 6-4 and stay in first place of the AFC North.
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