Ja’Marr Chase’s bold declaration about his next contract has come true.
On Sunday, the Cincinnati Bengals agreed to sign both Chase and fellow wide receiver Tee Higgins to long-term deals. Chase netted himself a four-year extension worth $161 million with $112 million guaranteed, while Higgins got a four-year deal worth $115 million with the first two years guaranteed
After several reports confirmed Chase’s new deal, an old clip of Chase has resurfaced showing him talk about wanting to surpass Minnesota Vikings star wideout Justin Jefferson when it came to their respective contract extensions.
In the video from September 2024, a reporter asked Chase about rumors that he wanted to surpass Jefferson’s deal “by a penny.” Chase wanted much more than that (note: the video contains profanity).
“If I want to beat Justin Jefferson, I’m going to beat the s–t out of Justin,” Chase told the reporter. “Not by a penny, brother.”
I asked Ja’Marr Chase if the reports are true that he wants one penny more than Justin Jefferson.
— Marshall Kramsky (@marshallkramsky) September 6, 2024
Ja’Marr Chase: “If I want to beat Justin, I’m going to beat the sh*t out of Justin” #Bengals @WCPO pic.twitter.com/04RQTCwnav
Chase certainly got his wish.
The Vikings signed Jefferson to a four-year pact worth $140 million prior to the 2024 season. Jefferson’s deal, at the time, made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. Chase previously made it known that he planned to use Jefferson’s deal as a benchmark for his own down the line.
Ja’Marr’s agreement with the Bengals surpassed Jefferson’s total by over $5 million per year, making him the new highest-paid non-QB in league history.
That’s quite a bit more than a penny.
