11 September 2023 , 21:57
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Cincinnati Bengals star wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase has doubled down on his "disrespectful" comments towards the Cleveland Browns despite Sunday's 24-3 defeat.
A Joe Burrow-led offense struggled to make its mark in the game with Chase accounting for just 39 receiving yards and no touchdowns. "It’s frustrating because I called (them) elves, and we just lost to some elves,” Chase told the post-game media. “So I’m p***** on my part.”
Chase also slammed the Browns ahead of the game, stating: "Cleveland is Cleveland" in reference to their past failures. and poking fun at the elf logo on their field. However, Chase's comments didn't go down too well in the Cleveland locker room, with All-Pro edge rusher Myles Garrett branding his Bengals rival as "disrespectful" before the game.
"I don't really take offense to it, but I will say I do have a sack on Ja'Marr Chase," Garrett said. "I wouldn't mind adding to it."
Garrett added on Chase's elf comment: "See now, that was disrespectful. He did not have to go there. The elves [comment] was probably [crossing the line] … he knew better. We might have to have a discussion before or after the game, maybe during if I see him. But yeah, the elves is a little bit too far."
Despite his comments backfiring with the Browns coming out on top, it didn't stop Chase repeating his reference to their rivals as "elves".
Cincinnati are widely tipped to top the AFC North this season despite the bad start. The Bengals' NFL ambitions don't only stop at the divisional level, though, with their sights set on league-wide domination. They also have the highest-paid player in the NFL, Joe Burrow, who agreed to a new $55 million-a-year contract last week.
Chase labelled the Browns "elves", which has since been called "disrespectful by a Cleveland star (Getty)Burrow threw for a career-low 82 yards against the Browns, with the quarterback still trying to return to full fitness following a calf injury. "Means a lot," Burrow said on his new deal.
"I work really hard to perform well on the field and think a lot about how I handle myself and how I can be the best me for this organization. And so to be rewarded for that, it means a lot to me. But, a lot more to do."
While the Bengals' owner and president Mike Brown referred to Burrow as the key to a car, saying that Burrow has the power to spark Cincinnati's offense into life. "My father always said that in the NFL, the quarterback is like the key to your car," Brown said. "You can have a great car, but you need a key to get the car going and to operate it at a high level. We feel that we have a good one in Joe.
"Our franchise has been fortunate to have many good quarterbacks over the years, starting with Greg Cook and now running through Joe. Half a dozen Pro Bowl quarterbacks have graced our corridors, and Joe is an intelligent player who loves the game of football. The franchise is pleased to be in good hands."