PITTSBURGH – A convincing 34-12 win for the Pittsburgh Steelers over the Cincinnati Bengals was overshadowed Sunday by a volatile showdown between defender Jalen Ramsey and receiver Ja’Marr Chase. With just over 12 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and Pittsburgh cruising, Ramsey charged into an altercation during a timeout, grabbed Chase’s facemask and landed a punch, drawing ejection from the game.
Ramsey’s reaction followed a series of escalating incidents between the two players, including offsetting personal-foul penalties earlier in the quarter. After the game, Ramsey defended his actions with a sharp statement: “He spit on me… I don’t give a f-k about football after that, respectfully.”
Chase denied the claim: “I didn’t spit on nobody.”
The official in the game noted that no official report saw a spit from Chase, leaving the league to review video later. The timing couldn’t have been worse for Pittsburgh: the punch gave Cincinnati an automatic first down and 15‐yard penalty during a crucial fourth-and-one situation.
From a results standpoint, the Steelers were largely unshaken. They improved to 6-4 and bludgeoned a defense in Cincinnati that allowed two defensive touchdowns and saw its record sink to 3-7.
But questions will linger about discipline, mindset and Ramsey’s place in the team if the league levies a suspension or fine. The NFL has clear rules concerning punches and spitting, and this incident sits squarely within that policy framework.
For the Bengals, the confrontation marks yet another example of their emotional roller-coaster season, which continues to spin away from playoff contention. For the Steelers, the dominance of the scoreboard cannot fully distract from the fact that one of their defensive leaders walked off under escort and into potentially serious disciplinary ramifications.
Expect the story to unfold this week as the league investigates, both players speak further and Pittsburgh attempts to shift its focus back to football.
