Mike Florio ,
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The only viable argument Bengals receiver Ja’Marr Chase can make against his one-game suspension is that the NFL has never truly suspended a player for spitting on an opponent.
Apparently, Chase will try a different tactic regarding the discipline for spitting on Steelers safety Jalen Ramsey.
Via Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, Chase will essentially say that, if he was going spit on Jalen Ramsey, Chase would have spit in his face .
That’s a bad argument. He clearly spat on Ramsey. Chase’s only chance of avoiding the suspension is to admit it, and to cite the longstanding precedent that the punishment is a fine.
Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter ultimately was ejected and fined, not suspended. And Carter didn’t appeal the decision, so the characterization of the net result of a suspension with time served is arguably not binding on Chase or any other player.
Regardless, that’s the far better argument. Any effort to take anything less than full accountability via a clunky, implausible explanation will likely result in Chase taking the full measure of discipline and miss Sunday’s game against the Patriots.
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