Chase has established himself as, arguably, the NFL’s best wide receiver.
In the Cincinnati Bengals Week 2 game of the 2021 season at the Chicago Bears, Ja’Marr Chase hauled in a 42-yard touchdown with 4:39 remaining in the fourth quarter. It was the Bengals’ first touchdown of the day, and that was after being shut out in the first half and Joe Burrow throwing interceptions on three consecutive passes in the fourth quarter.
After the game, Chase was adamant in saying that he wished the Bengals hadn’t waited until late in the fourth quarter to take shots down the field. Playing against a Bears defense that got torched the previous week by Matthew Stafford and the Los Angeles Rams, the Bears defense held the Bengals to just 248 total yards and Burrow to just 206 passing yards.
Keep in mind, this was just Chase’s second game in his career. For him to speak up about the Bengals’ lack of deep shots early in the game at Chicago was bold, but it was also necessary.
The next week, the Bengals played the Steelers played in Pittsburgh. Burrow took a deep shot down the middle of the field on the Bengals’ second possession. His pass was intercepted, but I liked the aggression early. It wouldn’t be the first time the Bengals let the pigskin fly in the first half, as Chase’s deep ball 34-yard touchdown reception late in the first half gave the Bengals a 14-7 lead at halftime that they would ride to a 24-10 win. Chase’s words prompted head coach Zac Taylor to be more aggressive in the first half at Pittsburgh.
Now, with Chase signed to a massive contract extension and the Bengals gearing up for the 2025 Season, Chase’s leadership is evolving at the right time.
“I always looked at myself as a leader,” Chase said. “Not verbally. Through my actions, I hold people accountable. I speak up if I have to. It’s a little more obvious that I have to be a captain this year. Doing the deal and stuff, but still play my role. I don’t talk as much, but I speak up when I have to.”
Remember when Chase famously proclaimed that he was always open? That was after a 27-3 loss at Tennessee that put the Bengals at 1-3. It wasn’t the best time, maybe, for Chase to say that, but it worked. Chase had 15 receptions for 192 yards and three touchdowns the next week at Arizona. The Bengals’ All-Pro wide receiver is never afraid to show his confidence. It’s a spark the Bengals have fed off of an innumerable amount of times in his career.
Speaking of 1-3, the Bengals cannot start like that for a third consecutive season. Not with Burrow, Chase, and Higgins here for the long term.
“I don’t know how we start fast,” Chase said. “They paid me and Tee, hopefully that’s the starting fast move right there … Having everyone here again with the opportunity to work with Joe again, getting established with our offense helps us move around, learn more seeing a new defense every day, I think that’s pretty cool. That should get us better, getting back early and working.
“It shows that they care. Shows that they want to have the offense together. Keep this group together. They want us to excel from it. They see the potential that we all have and want to capitalize.”
Having the Bengals trio on the field right now is crucial. Having them for Training Camp will be even more paramount to this team coming out of the gate ready to fire on all cylinders.
Another element to Chase’s leadership is hopefully being able to help second-year wide receiver Jermaine Burton get on the field and make an impact.
“He’s getting better. Definitely improving,” Chase said. “He’s faster lining up. Playing with more speed. When you don’t know what you’re doing, you don’t play as fast. He’s playing a little faster now.”
That’s a good thing, just like Chase emerging as a leader.