Ja'Marr Chase is on his way to becoming the best wide receiver in Cincinnati Bengals history, and he'll have to surpass Chad Johnson along the way. He might as well emulate him in every way he can.
Chase hauled in two touchdowns during the 2024 Pro Bowl Games, and had a special celebration in mind for his second. Chase took over an end zone camera just like Johnson did back in his playing days.
The Pro Bowl has always been the stage for whimsical things to happen on the gridiron, and it's the perfect platform for Chase to have some fun and honor a Bengals legend. Operating an end zone camera was one of many celebrations Johnson made famous during his prime in Cincinnati, and it's specifically one that Chase has had in mind for a while.
Chase told reporters during the regular season he wanted to do it, but never did. He also wanted assurance from Johnson that the former All-Pro would help cover his fine from the NFL.
"I need you to pay for the fine for me," Chase said back in November. "That's my only ask."
Did Chase wait until a meaningless game to keep his promise so that Johnson won't have to whip out his checkbook? Maybe he didn't want to get penalized in an actual game as well.
Hopefully the league just looks the other way for the sake of keeping its most famous exhibition fun.
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