Bengals Coach Explains Why He’s ‘Upset’ Over Ja’Marr Chase Spitting Incident
Bengals coach Zac Taylor made clear in this week's press conference that he was standing up for Ja'Marr Chase in light of a viral video that showed Chase appearing to spit on Steelers' Jalen Ramsey during Sunday's game.
Taylor was peppered with questions about Chase at the start of Monday's presser after the Bengals star wide receiver came under fire for spitting on Ramsey late in Sunday's 34-12 loss. Chase denied that he spit on Ramsey in his postgame media availability, but a field-level video clearly showed Chase performing the action.
While Taylor admitted Chase "crossed the line," the Bengals coach also pledged his full support to the All-Pro wideout, repeatedly calling him a leader in the locker room and insisting that everybody makes mistakes.
"I think Ja'Marr Chase will go down as one of my favorite all-time players and favorite all-time leaders and everything he's about," Taylor said. "It's like we're trying to make something out of this situation. It's the only thing that's kind of upset me because for a guy that has done everything we can to build our organization around, he's been awesome. Not perfect. ... He's going to have to own up for that. That will be part of his journey."
Zac Taylor speaks to the type of person Ja'Marr Chase is, calling him one of his favorite all-time leaders. pic.twitter.com/KCTnC3q4Uc
— FOX19 NOW (@FOX19) November 17, 2025
The NFL disciplined Chase with a one-game suspension for his spitting gesture, which falls in line with the precedent set by Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter, who was caught spitting on Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott earlier this season. Because Carter was disqualified and ejected seconds into the game, he essentially served his one-game suspension during that contest. Chase will miss Week 12's matchup against the Patriots on Sunday.
"I've always sat up here and praised Ja'Marr because he's one of the best leaders we've got, the way he goes about everything," continued Taylor. "He plays with a ton of emotion, he plays with a ton of leadership, our guys respond to that. And I've always appreciated how he's handled himself."
Lions’ Dan Campbell Addresses His Fourth Down Controversy
Dan Campbell of the Detroit Lions isn’t the kind of coach who ever plays it safe, and that can be a good or bad quality, depending on what day it is and what’s happening on the field. The Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles had a “Sunday Night Football” matchup on Sunday, November 16, and it was one of those nights where a more conservative approach would have benefited the Lions.
The Eagles beat the Lions in a low-scoring, 16-9 game, and Campbell was the one calling the offensive plays. He did something not many head coaches in the NFL do by taking over the offensive play calling duties from offensive coordinator John Morton for this game, as he also did for the team’s game against the Washington Commanders on November 9. Campbell also says that he’ll be doing it for the rest of the season.
In those play calls, Campbell went for it on fourth, which is no surprise. But, the Lions were 0-for-5 on fourth down in the loss, and two of those failed fourth down attempts came in field goal range. On top of that, two of the other fourth down attempts were in their own territory, and those resulted in field goals for Philly.
Dan Campbell Talks Controversial Plays in Detroit Lions Game
This was like gambling at a different level. To go for it on basically every fourth is pretty much unheard of in the NFL or at any level of football.
So, will Campbell change? Don’t expect to see a change, although speaking to the media on Monday, November 17, the coach admitted that playing it safe would have been best.
“There’s some things I wish I would have done different,” he said. “The bottom line is, if you go totally conservative in the way this game played out, in the way it was, you’ve got a better chance of winning that game than some of those decisions I made.”
But, here’s where Campbell doubled down on his fourth down calls and identity. “I understand that. But also, that’s who we are. That’s who I am, and it bit us today,” he said.
So, don’t expect Campbell to change. But, he might think twice before going as chancy as he did on Monday against the Eagles.
Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles By the Numbers
According to NFL research, Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff had the lowest completion percentage of his career, and even though Goff threw for 255 yards, he only completed 38 percent of his passes and finished with a passer rating of 60.1. Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery also struggled, although Gibbs led Detroit with five receptions for 107 yards.
But, Campbell also had some kind things to say about the Lions, though. Chatting with the press, he said that the team “felt like we moved the ball pretty decently at times throughout the game and got down there and stall out a few times and obviously the fourth downs weren’t good enough.”
He added, “Give a ton of credit to them. They are a good defense. We like to think, if we were able to get a fourth down or two, it changes the game and even some of those third downs. But they played well and we weren’t even close to up to snuff today.”
