Jalen Ramsey ejected after punching Ja'Marr Chase

Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Jalen Ramsey. Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Steelers DB Jalen Ramsey ejected after punching Bengals WR Ja'Marr Chase

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Nov 16, 2025 4:31 PM ET

Tempers flared early in the fourth quarter of Sunday's game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals.

Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase appeared to start jawing with Steelers defensive back Jalen Ramsey after a zero-yard run on a third-and-1 at Pittsburgh's 44-yard line. The DB then punched the wideout and was ejected. Chase, meanwhile, was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. The Steelers still managed to win, 34-12, without the star DB.

Did Ja'Marr Chase, Jalen Ramsey have a previous beef?

It remains unclear what caused the scuffle between Chase and Ramsey. They didn't have any fights in Cincinnati's home matchup against Pittsburgh in Week 7, a 33-31 win for the Bengals. And before Sunday's game, the WR complimented Ramsey for moving from cornerback to safety this season.

"He's really just showing how versatile he is as a person, as a DB," Chase said Friday, per James Rapien of Bengals on SI. "I think he only moved to safety because it was a change on the back end. I'm not really sure 100% what's going on, how they're doing that, but he's just showing off how versatile he is."

Jalen Ramsey has been ejected from the game for throwing a punch at Ja'Marr Chase pic.twitter.com/AcKGo7a9JA
— NFL on CBS (@NFLonCBS) November 16, 2025

Ramsey, however, called out Chase during an August interview with "The Pivot Podcast."

He may have regretted doing that after Chase dominated him and the rest of Pittsburgh's secondary in their first matchup this season. Against the Steelers in Week 7, the LSU product had 16 receptions for 161 yards and one touchdown catch.

Perhaps the Bengals star reminded him of that when they exchanged words. Regardless, the tussle will be costly for Ramsey. He should be fined for punching Chase and could face a suspension if the league feels it was severe enough.

The ejection continues a rough season for seven-time Pro Bowler Ramsey. Entering Sunday, he had just one interception. Pro Football Focus had also given him a slightly above-average 67.3 coverage grade, the second-lowest mark of his career.

Clark Dalton

Dalton is a 2022 journalism graduate of the University of Texas at Austin. He gained experience in sports media over the past seven years — from live broadcasting and creating short films to podcasting and producing. In college, he wrote for The Daily Texan. He loves sports and enjoys hiking, kayaking and camping.

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