The referee who penalized Bengals star Ja’Marr Chase for unsportsmanlike conduct late in Cincinnati’s 26-25 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday afternoon said Chase crossed a line and got personal.
Chase was tackled after a 4-yard pass that should have given the Bengals a third-and-7 at the Chiefs’ 30-yard line in the fourth quarter at Arrowhead Stadium. Instead of returning to the huddle, Chase jumped up and confronted referee Alex Kemp.
Chase, according to Kemp, thought he was taken down by cornerback Trent McDuffie with a hip-drop tackle, a technique that is banned leaguewide this season. Although it’s unclear what exactly was said, Kemp said Chase crossed the line at that moment.
“The simple answer is foul language used by grown men as opposed to direct, personal insults toward a referee,” Kemp said, via ESPN’s Ben Baby, when asked about the difference between insults and simple disagreements on the field. “That’s the line. When that line is crossed, we simply cannot allow that in professional football.”
Things got so bad at one point during the altercation that the Bengals eventually had to settle for a field goal that gave them a two-point lead early in the fourth quarter that quarterback Joe Burrow violently shoved Chase to keep him away from Kemp and the referees.
“I’m just trying to de-escalate the situation,” Burrow said via ESPN. “I’m not entirely sure what was said or who threw the flag.”
Chase declined to comment on the penalty after the game.
“I don’t talk about it,” Chase said when asked.
As for the tackle that got Chase angry in the first place, Kemp said they thought it was a legal move.
“We told him that we did not believe it was a hip-drop tackle,” Kemp said, via ESPN.
Chase had 35 yards on four catches in the loss for the Bengals, who fell to 0-2 this season. The Chiefs, thanks in part to a pass interference call on fourth down on their final drive, scored a 51-yard field goal to secure the one-point victory.
Chase held out throughout training camp while looking for a new contract, though he never got one with the Bengals. He reportedly has no plans to negotiate a long-term deal with the Bengals during the season, and he reportedly took out a $50 million insurance policy on himself in case he gets injured. Chase had 62 yards on six catches in Cincinnati’s loss to the New England Patriots last week.
The Bengals will host the Washington Commanders (1-2) next week and will try to avoid falling to 0-3.
“It’s not a nice feeling to lose,” Chase said simply.
