In NFL Week 11, the Pittsburgh Steelers hosted the Cincinnati Bengals in another heated chapter of their AFC North rivalry. Tensions were high as the Steelers looked to avenge last month’s loss, and by the fourth quarter, the matchup turned explosive.
Late in the game, tempers flared between Ja’Marr Chase and Jalen Ramsey. Chase appeared to spit on the Steelers star, earning himself a one-game suspension. Ramsey retaliated with a punch, and now the NFL has issued its own punishment for the veteran defender.
NFL Announces Fine for Jalen Ramsey
With 13 minutes left in the fourth quarter, tensions between Ramsey and Chase finally boiled over. After the Bengals star wideout appeared to spit on the Steelers’ Pro Bowl cornerback, Ramsey retaliated with a punch. Officials only saw the punch in real time, leading to Ramsey’s immediate ejection.
Video reviews later confirmed Ramsey’s account despite Chase’s denial, and the four-time Pro Bowler received a one-game suspension that will keep him out of the Bengals’ Week 12 matchup against the New England Patriots. Ramsey, meanwhile, has now been fined $14,491 for striking Chase.
One Steelers reporter reacted to the fine by noting, “Jalen Ramsey fined $14,491 for punching Ja’Marr Chase last week, which might seem like a lot for a guy reacting to getting spit on, but George Pickens was fined $26,085 for humping the goal post.”
The incident didn’t come out of nowhere. Ramsey and Chase had been taunting each other on the field since the first half. Both received penalties for unsportsmanlike conduct after a scuffle following the play that preceded Ramsey’s ejection. Both grabbed each other’s helmet masks and began fighting.
The officiating crew had warned them that another violation would lead to disqualification. However, even without the prior warning, Ramsey’s punch would have resulted in an ejection. Chase remained on the field at the time because he didn’t throw a punch, but the league later disciplined him when the spit was verified on video.
Chase appealed the suspension, continuing to deny spitting on Ramsey, but the ruling was upheld. Sitting at 3–7, the Bengals now lose their top weapon for a crucial Week 12 matchup, further complicating a season already slipping away.
Ramsey and the Steelers, meanwhile, prepare to face the Chicago Bears as they look to maintain their AFC North lead.
Through 10 games this season, Ramsey has posted 47 tackles, two tackles for loss, three quarterback hits, one interception, and six pass breakups. According to PFSN’s CB Impact metric, he ranks as the 30th-best cornerback in the league with an 81.1 overall grade.
