Ja’Marr Chase knew immediately what to say when asked about the rumors linking Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow to the Minnesota Vikings.
During a recent appearance on the “Up & Adams” show, Chase was asked by host Kay Adams about the rumors, which he immediately shut down. Adams further insinuated that Chase will be just fine regardless of whoever is under center for Cincinnati.
In a response that caught everyone off guard, Chase deflected the subject and said he’d rather see Minnesota Vikings star Justin Jefferson, who was also on the show, take an enormous pay cut and play for the Bengals.
“I mean, we could get Justin Jefferson to take a $45 [million] pay cut, we could get him,” Chase joked.
Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase when asked about Joe Burrow trade rumors:
— SleeperBengals (@SleeperBengals) February 5, 2026
Higgins – “Yeah, no dice, no dice”
Chase – “I mean, we could get Justin Jefferson to take, you know, a $45M pay-cut, we could get him” 😂
(via @UpAndAdamsShow) pic.twitter.com/Q46J0ujV8w
An NFL reunion involving former LSU Tigers stars Chase, Jefferson and Burrow is a scary thought for the rest of the league, but it’s not smart to bet on that happening.
Jefferson is regarded as a cornerstone of the Vikings franchise, which signed him to a 4-year, $140 million contract extension in 2024. Chase, on the other hand, just inked a 4-year, $161 million extension deal in 2025.
Both the Bengals and the Vikings missed the boat to the 2025 NFL playoffs, so their respective front offices have the challenge of shoring up their rosters in the offseason. But as far as getting Jefferson to the Bengals, it’s a general manager’s fever dream.
