Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase adds 'fire to the fuel' with digs at Chiefs - ESPN

CINCINNATI — Ja'Marr Chase had plenty to say Thursday ahead of the Cincinnati Bengals' showdown Sunday against the Kansas City Chiefs.

The Bengals wide receiver started out by saying nothing stood out about the Chiefs' secondary, a sentiment he has shared about other teams. Then he said the reigning Super Bowl champs don't have a lockdown cornerback like the Miami Dolphins' Jalen Ramsey. Chase added that Kansas City safety Bryan Cook, who is on injured reserve, is not comparable to the Atlanta Falcons' Jessie Bates III, who spent the first five years of his career with the Bengals.

When it was expressed that the comments could be perceived as shots at Cincinnati's AFC rival, Chase seemed to embrace it.

«I'm just adding fire to the fuel,» Chase said. «They're going to take this, run with it. Hope they put it in their locker.»

In previous years, the battle between the clubs has developed into one of the NFL's best rivalries. In February 2022, the Bengals defeated Kansas City in the AFC Championship Game to advance to the team's first Super Bowl in more than three decades. One year later, Kansas City won the rematch on a field goal as time expired.

The third-year player out of LSU, who has made the Pro Bowl in each of his first two NFL seasons, had his biggest career game against Kansas City. In Week 17 of the 2021 season, Chase set a franchise record with 266 receiving yards in a 34-31 victory that clinched the Bengals' first playoff berth since 2015. In the two playoff games between the teams, he has totaled 12 catches for 129 yards and a touchdown.

Thursday marked a positive sign regarding Chase's availability for Sunday's game. Chase was a limited participant at practice, marking his first involvement since he suffered