Why did NFL fine Ja'Marr Chase? Exploring the reason behind Bengals WR's $31,599 penalty

Ja'Marr Chase had a frustrating offseason and has had an underwhelming start to his 2024 campaign. To add to his misery, the NFL announced on Saturday that they were hitting the wide receiver with a $31,599 fine.

Chase is being fined by the league for his unruly behavior during the Bengals' 26-25 loss against the Kansas City Chiefs last Sunday. In the fourth quarter, the 24-year-old star got into a heated argument with referee Alex Kemp after the officials did not throw a flag on what the wide receiver alleged was a hip-drop tackle by cornerback Trent McDuffie.

He reportedly yelled obscenities at Kemp and was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. Chase continued to argue with the referee and had to be held back by quarterback Joe Burrow from talking himself into an ejection.

Replays suggested that the Chiefs star wasn't guilty of a hip-drop tackle and the referees made the right call by not throwing a penalty flag.

Not only was Chase wrong to protest the call but it also set him back $31,599, adding to what is becoming an increasingly frustrating year professionally for the star receiver.

Ja'Marr Chase contract: WR's torrid offseason and tough start to campaign

After three years of stellar production, Ja'Marr Chase expected the Bengals to do right by him and make him one of the highest-paid wide receivers in the league, paying him a salary comparable to Minnesota Vikings' Justin Jefferson and Dallas Cowboys' CeeDee Lamb.

However, the talks between his representatives and the franchise did not go as smoothly as he expected and the two parties failed to reach an agreement before training camp. Chase held out hoping it would push the team to close the deal quickly, but Cincinnati's front office did not respond as he envisioned.

He wasn't deterred and held his ground until the eve of their season-opener against the New England Patriots. There were concerns that he wouldn't suit up to play, but he did not resort to that tactic.

He has played in each of the Bengals' two games so far, but he hasn't had a good time out on the field. So far, he has caught only ten passes for 97 yards and no touchdowns, a far cry from his usual production level.

The lack of a new contract and his underwhelming start to the season perhaps played a part in his outburst against the Chiefs, which cost him $31,599.