Ja'Marr Chase suspension: Cost reported for one-game punishment of Bengals' receiver following spitting incident

WR Ja’Marr Chase was announced to be suspended for one game this afternoon by the NFL for his role in an altercation on Sunday where he spat at CB Jalen Ramsey. Now, that decision-making will cost him more than just a game played for the Cincinnati Bengals.

Per Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network, this will, assuming no appeal is won on the one-game suspension, end up being a spit worth over $500,000 for Chase. That’s as it will cost him his game check worth nearly $450,000 as well as what would be his active roster bonus of almost $60,000, bringing the reported total to around $507,000.

“If upheld, the one-game suspension would cost Ja’Marr Chase over a half-million dollars — his $448,333 game check and a $58,824 active roster bonus,” Pelissero tweeted out following the news of the suspension. “One expensive loogie.”

The spit by Chase naturally led to an altercation with Ramsey, who was ejected for his role in it, in the fourth quarter of Cincinnati vs. Pittsburgh, which the Steelers won 34-12 over the Bengals. That matchup, both between those divisional teams and those two players, was naturally heated regardless without the action. Still, Chase denied doing it, but with video after the game clearly showing he did.

With that, a suspension was expected, and has since been handed down this afternoon by the National Football League. It was a violation as an act of unsportsmanlike conduct, which Chase can now appeal to the NFL and the NFLPA.

““Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase has been suspended without pay for one game for an act of unsportsmanlike conduct during Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers,” the NFL wrote. “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'” read the release from the NFL. “Under the Collective Bargaining Agreement, Chase may appeal the suspension. Any appeal will be heard and decided upon by either Derrick Brooks, Ramon Foster, or Jordy Nelson, the hearing officers jointly appointed and compensated by the NFL and NFLPA to decide appeals of on-field player discipline.”

“Well, first of all, I’ve always been impressed with how Ja’Marr has handled himself, because he’s in a lot of these situations where he’s got a target as a top player and he gets a lot of respect in that way, and so guys try to do a lot of things to get his attention and get him off his game. And, I’ve always thought it was unbelievable how he’s handled himself in some really high-pressure, emotional decisions,” Zac Taylor said this afternoon about Chase. “Obviously, what happened? It’s crossing a line. We can’t have that, and I know he’ll own up to that. But, beyond that, I’ve always sat up here and praised Ja’Marr because he’s one of the best leaders we’ve got, the way that he goes about everything. He plays with a ton of emotion. He plays with a ton of leadership. Our guys respond to that, and I’ve always appreciated how he’s handled himself.”

Pending what could happen in an appeal, Chase, currently unable to report until a week from today, will not play on Sunday when Cincinnati goes on the road to Foxborough and plays the team with the best record right now in the NFL in the New England Patriots. He’ll also then reportedly be out over half a million dollars for the disgusting act as part of that one-game suspension.