NFL Suspends Bengals' Chase One Game for Spitting on Ramsey

The NFL has suspended Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver JaMarr Chase for one game without pay after video evidence showed him spitting on Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Jalen Ramsey during the Bengals' 34-12 loss in Pittsburgh on Sunday, November 16. The incident occurred in the fourth quarter, leading to an altercation in which Ramsey grabbed Chase's facemask and threw a punch, resulting in Ramsey's ejection from the game.

Chase initially denied the accusation to reporters after the game, stating, "I ain't never opened my mouth to that guy. He don't like some of the words I told him. We'd been going back and forth the whole time so I'm sure something got under his skin. I didn't spit on nobody." However, footage captured by a sideline camera and shared widely online clearly depicted saliva leaving Chase's mouth toward Ramsey, prompting the league's investigation and swift punishment under Rule 12, Section 3, Article 1, which prohibits acts contrary to sportsmanship principles.

Bengals head coach Zac Taylor addressed the matter during his Monday news conference, acknowledging the severity while defending Chase's overall character. "Obviously what happened is crossing the...