Ja'Marr Chase Says Bengals Better 'F--king Protect' Joe Burrow After Bears Scuffle at Joint Practice

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase had a very blunt message for his team after a minor scuffle involving Joe Burrow broke out during Thursday's joint practice session with the Chicago Bears.

Chase told reporters afterward that the Bengals "better f--king project" Burrow no matter what.

Per Cincinnati radio host James Rapien, Burrow "got into it" with a Bears defensive player who grabbed his jersey and didn't let go.

Even though Chase was very direct with what he said about the situation, Burrow summed it up by just saying "s--t happens" on the practice field sometimes.

Chase's comments can easily be interpreted as standing up for the starting quarterback on his team, but they also highlight something that has been an issue for Burrow during his NFL career.

Through his first six seasons, Burrow has missed at least six games three times. He missed seven games in 2023 and nine games in 2025 due to injuries.

Despite having missed significant time, Burrow has been sacked the fourth-most times (213) of any quarterback since his rookie year in 2020. Russell Wilson (223) is the only other quarterback who has been sacked more than 200 times in fewer than 80 games played.

The Bengals are 43-33-1 in 77 games started by Burrow over the past six seasons. They are 7-16 in 23 games with any other quarterback during that span.

Chase's comments also indicate a sense of the growing pressure around Cincinnati to maximize this window with Burrow.

Not known for their aggressive approach to roster building, the Bengals went outside of that comfort zone this offseason by signing Boye Mafe and Bryan Cook to big contracts in free agency and trading the No. 10 overall pick in the 2026 NFL draft to the New York Giants for Dexter Lawrence.

Despite Burrow's individual success and the team's record with him under center, the Bengals haven't made the playoffs since the 2022 season.