Why Referee Alex Kemp Flagged Ja’Marr Chase, What Set Off the Bengals Wide Receiver, and How Much Will It Cost Him?

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor called Sunday’s 26-25 defeat against the Kansas City Chiefs an emotional loss multiple times in his postgame news conference.

And no one’s emotions were more on display than wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, whose 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct thwarted any chance the Bengals had of driving for a go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter.

Chase declined to answer any questions about the penalty after the game.

Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase Draws Another 15-Yard Penalty and Likely His Largest Fine

Referee Alex Kemp, who threw the flag that turned third-and-7 at the Kansas City 30-yard line into third-and-22 at the Chiefs’ 45-yard line with 10:18 remaining, had plenty to say in the Pro Football Writers Association pool report.

“It’s pretty clear cut,” Kemp said. “It’s just simply abusive language toward a game official. That’s all it was. And there really was no interpretation. I’m not going to repeat to you what he said, but there was no interpretation with the language that he used – just abusive language.”

Per the pool report, it was Chase’s abusive language that led to the 15-yard penalty. pic.twitter.com/PUNmvkIZo6

— Jay Morrison (@ByJayMorrison) September 16, 2024

Kemp made it clear it wasn’t just the words Chase used, but the way he directed his anger at Kemp.

“The simple answer is, profanity used by grown men versus direct, personal abusive language toward a game official. That’s the line. When that line gets crossed, we simply can’t let that happen in pro football.”

After doing too much talking on the field, Chase went to the other extreme after the game in the locker room, refusing to answer questions about the penalty.

“I’m not talking about it,” he said each time he was asked.

It was the seventh penalty Chase has drawn in his four seasons in the league and his fourth 15-yarder.

The first three were for taunting, including one against the Chiefs in the 2022 regular season after Joe Burrow threw a touchdown pass to Tee Higgins.

He was fined $15,914 for that infraction.

Earlier that season, the league fined Chase $23,870 for multiple taunting penalties against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

According to the NFL fine schedule, a first infraction for “Verbal or other Non-Physical Offense Against Official” will result in a fine of $31,599.

Kemp said Chase initially was questioning the tackle by Kansas City cornerback Trent McDuffie.

“He thought he was hip-drop tackled on the previous play,” Kemp said. “And so, he came to me wondering about the hip-drop tackle. That was the beginning line of questioning.”

Chase got more animated as the conversation went on, and Kemp appeared to give him his space to vent.

But when Chase refused to stop and kept coming at Kemp, he threw the flag.

Facing fourth and 22, Burrow hit tight end Mike Gesicki for a 10-yard gain to get back in field goal range, and Evan McPherson connected from 53 yards to give the Bengals a 25-23 lead.

But finishing that drive with a touchdown would have eaten more clock and given the Bengals a two-score lead, which would have been tough for even Mahomes and the Chiefs to overcome.

Asked what his message to Chase is after something like that, Taylor said “It’s OK to be emotional.”

But Taylor didn’t want to get into the specifics of the penalty and the play because at that point he wasn’t sure what led to the flag.

“I’m not in the middle of it, so I can’t see everything that’s said or done,” Taylor said. “So it’s better that I don’t comment.”

Bengals left tackle Orlando Brown Jr. offered his thoughts.

“Uno’s one of the greatest players in the world,” he said, using Chase’s nickname. “Those type of emotions are also what make him great. I can’t fault him. Those type of things happen. I know that those type of mistakes he won’t be making consistently.”