Chase wanted a hip-drop penalty, which has yet to be called in a game

Cincinnati Bengals star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase did not receive the long-term lucrative extension he was after this offseason, and now, he finds his wallet a bit lighter due to his outburst during the Week 2 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. 

According to CBS Sports NFL insider Jonathan Jones, Chase has been fined $31,599 for his third-quarter verbal tirade against an official. After a 4-yard reception on a second-and-11, Chase exploded on an official because he believed the Chiefs defender utilized the now-illegal hip-drop tackle on him.

Official Alex Kemp said in the Chiefs-Bengals pool report that the flag was thrown on Chase for language toward the official. 

“It’s pretty clear-cut. It’s just simply abusive language toward a game official,” Kemp said. “That’s all it was. And there was really no interpretation. I’m not going to repeat to you what he said, but there was no interpretation with the language that he used — just abusive language.”

While this specific tackle probably did not meet all of the criteria for a hip-drop tackle, Chase isn’t alone in his frustration about this play. The hip-drop tackle has yet to be penalized in a game, but it is being fined after the fact. Chicago Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards and New York Jets linebacker C.J. Mosley were both reportedly fined $16,883 for hip-drop tackles that went uncalled in Week 2. 

Cincinnati Bengals’ star wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase has been hit with a hefty fine of $31,599 following his outburst during the Week 2 loss against the Kansas City Chiefs. The incident occurred after a controversial play where Chase felt he had been on the receiving end of a now-illegal hip-drop tackle, but no penalty was called.

The fine came after Chase verbally lashed out at an official during the third quarter. Following a 4-yard reception on a second-and-11, Chase believed that a Chiefs defender had performed an illegal hip-drop tackle on him, a move that has recently drawn concern for player safety. However, despite Chase’s protests, the flag thrown wasn’t for the tackle but for his abusive language toward the official.

“It’s pretty clear-cut. It’s just simply abusive language toward a game official,” said official Alex Kemp in the post-game pool report. “I’m not going to repeat to you what he said, but there was no interpretation with the language that he used — just abusive language.”

The hip-drop tackle has become a focal point of player safety concerns this season, though it has yet to be officially penalized during games. Despite this, fines are being handed out after the fact. Chicago Bears linebacker T.J. Edwards and New York Jets linebacker C.J. Mosley were both fined $16,883 each for similar hip-drop tackles that went unpenalized during Week 2.

Chase, who had hoped for a more favorable ruling on the play, is not alone in his frustration with the lack of in-game penalties for these tackles. The controversy surrounding the hip-drop tackle continues to grow, raising questions about how officials will handle the dangerous play moving forward.

This incident only adds to a difficult start to the season for Chase, who was seeking a long-term lucrative extension this offseason. With emotions running high, it will be interesting to see how both Chase and the league respond in the coming weeks as discussions about player safety intensify.