Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson weighed in on the recent altercation between Jalen Ramsey and Ja’Marr Chase, which made NFL headlines from this past weekend’s games. The incident occurred during the Cincinnati Bengals-Pittsburgh Steelers game, when Ramsey and Chase got into it. Most viewers saw Ramsey throw a punch after Chase spat on him during the NFL game’s fourth quarter, prompting the referees to eject Ramsey for unsportsmanlike conduct. After the incident, Chase denied that he’d spit on Ramsey before the Steelers defender struck him. However, the NFL investigated the situation and, upon reviewing the incident, suspended Chase one game without pay for spitting as unsportsmanlike conduct. That keeps their star wide receiver out for their upcoming game against the New England Patriots. That reportedly also costs him $507,156, which is a week’s pay plus a bonus for being on the team’s active roster. Read more: Giants’ Cam Skattebo Gets Involved in WWE Raw Amid Injury Recovery Meanwhile, Ben Johnson and the Bears are preparing to face Mike Tomlin’s Steelers, who should have Ramsey on the field for a crucial game. Ahead of their matchup, Johnson spoke about his respect for Tomlin and agreed with his stance on Ramsey’s reaction to the spitting incident. “How he goes about his business. He holds his players accountable. I think you saw it this week with some of the quotes talking about a player getting spit at [and] his reaction to it. He’s 100 percent right as far as I’m concerned. I think he hit the nail on the head. He just keeps it real and authentic at all times,” Johnson said. “The players respect that. You can tell that they play hard,” he said regarding their view of the veteran coach. The Steelers’ head coach previously shared a strong stance on Ramsey’s reaction to getting spit on by Chase during the game. “I have no message if someone spits in your face. Do what comes natural,” Tomlin said during his press conference. The Chicago Bears head into the game as NFC North division leaders, compiling a 7-3 record this season under their first-year coach. Meanwhile, Tomlin’s Steelers are sitting atop the AFC North at 6-4, but the 5-5 Baltimore Ravens are surging on a four-game win streak. Both the Bears and Steelers want to keep control of their division and increase their chances of a playoff spot in the coming weeks, making Sunday’s matchup in Pittsburgh essential for both teams to add a win ahead of their remaining divisional battles. For the Bears, that includes several more matchups against the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions, while the Steelers still have to play the Ravens twice before their regular season ends. Read more: Chiefs’ Andy Reid Has Clear Message About NFL Playoffs After Broncos Loss.
https://www.newsweek.com/sports/nfl/bears-ben-johnson-backs-jalen-ramsey-after-spitting-incident-11077165