Bengals WRs coach Troy Walters: Ja'Marr Chase won't become a 'diva'

As NFL Media's Connor Groel and Jeremy Bergman, among others, previously noted, Cincinnati Bengals rookie wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase made a mockery of NFL record books throughout his debut pro campaign. Per ESPN stats, Chase finished the regular season third in the league with 13 touchdown catches, fourth with 1,455 receiving yards, and second among eligible players with 18.0 yards per reception.

The term "diva wide receiver" is familiar to football fans and, fair or not, has been associated with individuals such as Odell Beckham Jr. of the Los Angeles Rams, Cincinnati's opponent in Sunday's Super Bowl LVI clash. Bengals wide receivers coach Troy Walters spoke with media members on Tuesday and made it clear he's convinced Chase won't go down such a path. 

"He's a rare type of guy where success really doesn't change him. He's been the same person, even in the preseason when he had all those drops. He hadn't changed," Walters said of the first-year pro, per Geoff Hobson and Jake Rice of the club's website. "So he doesn't change whether things are going well or things aren't going well. … Very humble. Very even keel. Tremendous worker. … He doesn't get too high, doesn't get too low. If he messes up, he's hard on himself. … He wants to correct it.

"I don't ever see him getting that big head, becoming a diva. I'm going to stay on him. I let those guys know, even after his 200-yard performance, I let them know the next day that was the past. It's all about what have you done for me lately. He gets it and he puts the work in."

At just 21 years old, Chase is already one of the best players at his position and may be four quarters away from hoisting the Vince Lombardi Trophy as a champion. Needless to say, his future appears quite bright as long as he keeps a solid head on his shoulders moving forward.