Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase has been handed a one-game suspension without pay after he was found to have spat on Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Jalen Ramsey during a recent NFL fixture.
The disciplinary action, announced on Monday, follows a contentious on-field incident.
The confrontation unfolded in the fourth quarter of Sunday's game, where Chase was seen spitting at Ramsey.
In response, Ramsey reportedly grabbed Chase by his face mask and subsequently punched him, leading to Ramsey's ejection from the match.
The NFL confirmed the suspension was issued under a regulation addressing "any act which is contrary to the generally understood principles of sportsmanship."
Despite video evidence of the incident emerging from a Cincinnati television station, Chase denied the spitting allegation following the Bengals' 34-12 defeat. He declined to speak with reporters on Monday.
Curiously, referee Bill Vinovich told a pool reporter post-game that officials "did not see anything that rose to that level at all."
Bengals coach Zac Taylor, who had spoken with Chase prior to the league's announcement, offered a degree of defence for his player.
"It’s like we are trying to make something out of this situation. It’s the only thing that’s kind of upset me as I’m sitting in here," Taylor stated.
"For a guy that has done everything we can to build our organization around, he’s been awesome. Not perfect. I’m not perfect. Trust me, I made plenty of mistakes yesterday (that) people don’t see on camera. Unfortunately his was. He’s going to have to own up for that. That will be part of his journey."
As a result of the ban, Chase will miss the Bengals' upcoming home game against New England and has the right to appeal the decision.
The suspension will cost him at least $448,333.33 in base salary, according to the NFL Players Association database.
This marks the second instance this season of the league punishing a player for spitting, following Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter's initial one-game suspension for a similar act against Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott.
Carter ultimately forfeited a week's pay but avoided further missed games. The Bengals currently hold a 3-7 record, having suffered three consecutive losses.
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