The 2025 NFL season has been a rather weird one when it comes to Ja’Marr Chase. Fresh off signing a contract that made him the highest-paid wide receiver in history, the first few games saw him produce at an extremely slow rate. An injury to Joe Burrow, leading to Jake Browning taking over quarterback duties, further complicated matters.
However, since the team traded for Joe Flacco, Chase’s production has seen a dramatic uptick. But the overall record for the Bengals hasn’t seen much improvement. As a result, frustrations are starting to boil over, with the superstar wide receiver getting into an ugly incident against the Pittsburgh Steelers that is going to cost him.
Ja’Marr Chase’s Suspension Appeal Goes In Vain
On the season, last year’s Triple Crown winner has 861 receiving yards and five touchdowns to his credit, earning 86.7 points and a B-Grade in PFSN’s WR impact metrics. However, in Week 11 against Pittsburgh, his numbers took a big dip after five consistent weeks.
Finishing the game with just 30 yards on three catches, he wasn’t a significant factor as Cincinnati lost 34-12 to reduce their chances of a playoff berth further. That production dip seemed to boil over on the field as well.
As a result, Chase got into it with superstar cornerback Jalen Ramsey, as the two almost came to blows. Ramsey was ejected for throwing a punch before further reviews showed that the four-time Pro Bowler had instigated matters by spitting on him.
At the time, he was issued a one-game suspension. But the superstar wide receiver wasn’t willing to take the punishment without fuss. Instead, he appealed to the league about the suspension, which former Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson reviewed.
As Adam Schefter revealed, the ruling did not go in Chase’s favour. “Hearing officer Jordy Nelson, jointly appointed by the NFL and NFLPA, has upheld the one-game suspension of Cincinnati’s Ja’Marr Chase.”
He also revealed that the suspension was going to cost Chase a whopping $507,156, as he would miss Cincy’s next game, a clash against a juggernaut in the AFC, the New England Patriots.
With Burrow potentially returning in a few weeks and the AFC North looking weaker than it has in recent years, the hope had to be that the Bengals could hang around long enough to mount a comeback under their superstar quarterback, potentially.
But, at 3-7, time is not on their side, and it is hard to imagine the team putting up significant resistance against a Patriots team, especially without Chase, that has been among the best in the entire league with an MVP candidate in Drake Maye at the helm.
