Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Jalen Ramsey (5) finds himself at the center of a skirmish before being ejected in the fourth quarter of the NFL Week 11 game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cincinnati Bengals at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh on Sunday, Nov. 16, 2025. The Bengals lost 34-12. Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

NFL may have second spitting incident this season with Jalen Ramsey-Ja'Marr Chase scuffle

By Clark Dalton | Last updated Nov 16, 2025 7:10 PM ET

Pittsburgh Steelers defensive back Jalen Ramsey has revealed why he blew a fuse in Sunday's home game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Early in the fourth quarter of Sunday's game, Ramsey punched Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase during a scuffle and was ejected. Following Pittsburgh's 34-12 win over Cincinnati, the DB said he did so because the WR spat on him. The Bengals star denied that.

"I never opened my mouth to that guy," Chase said, via Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic. "I didn't spit on nobody."

Video, however, shows otherwise. In an X clip posted by Austin Briski of WXIX-TV in Cincinnati, the WR appeared to spit on the DB before he threw the punch. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the league will review the incident before determining a punishment. Surprisingly, this isn't the first spitting incident this season.

Field-level view of the second altercation between Ja'Marr Chase and Jalen Ramsey. Chase said "I didn't spit on nobody."

The video clearly shows he did.#Bengals @FOX19 pic.twitter.com/ooGzInoPdS
— Austin Briski (@austin_briski) November 16, 2025

Jalen Ramsey-Ja'Marr Chase scuffle is the second spitting incident this season

In the NFL's 2025 regular-season opener, Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter spat on Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott at the start of the game and was ejected.

Carter avoided a suspension after a video showed Prescott may have provoked him by spitting near him, but not on him. The DT was still fined more than $57K for the incident. Chase, meanwhile, may face a much harsher punishment.

What happens next?

In Chase's case, he could be viewed as the instigator, unlike Carter. Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith believes the league could suspend the WR. He expects Ramsey to have to pay a "hefty fine."

Regardless, bank on the league sending a message with Chase's punishment if it finds that he did spit on Ramsey. It's a bad look for the NFL that it's already happened twice this season, let alone once.

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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