Ja'Marr Chase Spikes Helmet on Bengals' Sideline After Costly Penalty
A costly unsportsmanlike conduct penalty against Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase put a stopper on what was a productive drive for the team.
Chase had just made a reception and was brought down by what he believed to be a hip-drop tackle, which the NFL banned ahead of the 2024 season. Feeling that a flag should have been thrown, the irate wide receiver got into the face of an official, and seemingly said more than he was able to get away with.
Chase's frustrations resulted in a 15-yard unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, which helped stall the drive and forced the team to settle for a field goal.
Still upset after reaching the sideline, Chase could be seen aggressively spiking his helmet near the Bengals' bench.
After the penalty was initially called, quarterback Joe Burrow could be seen seemingly trying to calm down the star wide receiver, though to no avail. Burrow got himself in between Chase and the referee and even gave a hard shove to his teammate to further separate the two.
Chase's 15-yard mistake moved Cincinnati from the 30-yard line back to the 45, and as such they weren't able to capitalize on their strong field position, resulting in a go-ahead field goal when they were surely hoping to push for six points.