BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase has issued a public apology following his one-game suspension for spitting in the Week 11 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Chase posted a written statement on social media on Monday, saying he takes “full responsibility” for his actions and acknowledging the suspension was justified.
“What I did was wrong. The circumstances don’t matter. My passion for the game is no excuse,” Chase wrote. “There’s zero place in our sport — or in life — for that level of disrespect.”
The NFL suspended the former LSU star one game without pay after reviewing video of the incident between him and Steelers cornerback Jalen Ramsey. The league later upheld the suspension on appeal. Chase forfeited more than $500,000 in salary and bonuses as a result.
Ja’Marr Chase suspended one game by NFL
In his statement, Chase apologized to the Steelers organization, his Bengals teammates, coaches, the franchise and fans.
“I let my emotions in the moment get the better of me,” he said. “I can only hope and trust you know none of it represents who I am — not as a competitor, teammate, or person.”
Chase also acknowledged failing to meet his own expectations as a team leader.
“This has been a tough season with some incredibly hard losses,” he wrote. “But instead of stepping up with calm, class, and leadership, I let you down.”
The Bengals star added that he intends to “set a higher standard” for himself moving forward.
“I am committed to earning back your respect — not just with words, but with my actions, day after day, on and off the field.”
Chase missed the Bengals’ 26-20 loss to the New England Patriots and will return on Thanksgiving Day for a road game against the Baltimore Ravens.
The Bengals fall again, but the return of Joe Burrow could give new life to Cincinnati.
Click here to report a typo. Please include the headline.
Click here to subscribe to our WAFB 9 News daily digest and breaking news alerts delivered straight to your email inbox.
Watch the latest WAFB news and weather now.
Copyright 2025 WAFB. All rights reserved.