Published October 13, 2026 01:24 PM
Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase was fined twice for making an obscene gesture during the team’s Week 2 win over the Texans, but he won’t be forking over any money to the league.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that Chase won his appeal of both fines. The two fines totaled $29,852.
Chase was fined for a celebration with wide receiver Tee Higgins that he said was a riff on The Rock’s “the people’s elbow” wrestling maneuver, but which others interpreted to be a reference to a phallus. The letter from the appeals office said Chase argued that he received no warning that this celebration ran afoul of the rules and that the interpretation about its meaning was incorrect.
“He added that this is a new celebration with his teammate and that it is not offensive,” the letter says. “Mr. Chase finally stated that the NFL is assuming the worst of him and his teammate without discussing with the NFLPA.”
Higgins was fined multiple times for the same reason, but there is no word about the result of any appeal he may have filed in response to the penalties.