Ja'Marr Chase Spit On Jalen Ramsey, NFL Determines, And He's Suspended One Game As A Result

It is not OK for one NFL player to spit on another. Jalen Carter found that out the first week of the season and Bengals receiver Ja'Marr Chase found that out on Monday.

Chase has been suspended without pay for one game for what the NFL is calling "an act of unsportsmanlike conduct" during Sunday’s game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Chase, a source tells OutKick, will invoke his right under the Collective Bargaining Agreement and appeal the suspension. A decision is likely within 24-48 hours on that appeal after it is filed.

PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA - NOVEMBER 16: Ja'Marr Chase #1 of the Cincinnati Bengals attempts to complete a catch against Jalen Ramsey #5 of the Pittsburgh Steelers during an NFL football game at Acrisure Stadium on November 16, 2025 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)

NFL Viewed Evidence To Suspend 

Chase spit on Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Jalen Ramsey.

Officials called a penalty and ejected Ramsey from the game for apparently taking a swing at Chase because that's what the crew saw. Chase's spitting incident was apparently not seen but it was what caused Ramsey to act, the cornerback said after the game.

Chase denied spitting in his postgame interview with reporters.

But the league determined video evidence that is on social media and more evidence that was reviewed by the NFL made the case that Chase spit.

Chase Violated Sportsmanship Rule

The league did not say if it took Chase's apparent postgame lie as part of its decision to suspend Chase.

The incident happened in the fourth quarter, when Chase's loogie splattered on Ramsey's uniform, violating Rule 12, Section 3, Article 1, which applies to "any act which is contrary to the generally understood principles of sportsmanship."

Chase will be eligible to return to the Bengals’ active roster on Monday, Nov. 24, following the team’s Nov. 23 game against the New England Patriots.

The 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.

Jalen Carter at the 2025 ESPY Awards held at the Dolby Theatre on July 16, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Christopher Polk/Penske Media via Getty Images)

Taylor: Chase 'Will Own Up'

Chase is the second player to be suspended this season because of spitting, following Carter's one game suspension for spitting on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott in a Week 1 game.

Bengals coach Zac Taylor on Monday said that "one mistake doesn’t disregard" everything Chase has done well on behalf of the franchise. Yes, what's he expected to say?

"I’ve always thought it was unbelievable how he’s handled himself in some really high-pressure, emotional decisions," Taylor said in a press conference. "Obviously, what happened is crossing the line. We can’t have that. And I know he’ll own up to that."

That's weird because appealing doesn't exactly suggest owning up. And it is definitely not how Ramsey saw the situation after the game.

"It is [one of the most disrespectful things someone can do]," Ramsey said of Chase's spitting. "It's what p-ssies do, quite honestly."