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Ja'Marr Chase stokes the flames of an AFC North rivalry with an indirect jab at the Ravens

Ja'Marr Chase stokes the flames of an AFC North rivalry with an indirect jab at the Ravens

USA Today15-07-2025
Ja'Marr Chase throws gas on an already venomous rivalry by taking a swing at the Ravens' secondary.
As much as we enjoyed Hard Knocks: In Season with the AFC North, there are days when it feels like it aired a season too early. What might the cameras catch in the Baltimore Ravens locker room this time around?
Aaron Rodgers now plays for the hated Pittsburgh Steelers. That's quite interesting. The Cleveland Browns have a quarterback dilemma and potential controversy brewing.
That one involves Shedeur Sanders, Dillon Gabriel, Kenny Pickett, and Joe Flacco. Then, there are the drama-filled Cincinnati Bengals.
You may have heard. The Bengals refuse to pay anyone but wide receivers. They've ticked off 2024 First-Team All-Pro Trey Hendrickson.
Speaking of Bengals wideouts... Have you heard the latest on Ja'Marr Chase? Whether he intended to or not, he reignited his team's feud with Baltimore, as if this war needed more venom.
Ja'Marr Chase indirectly pokes the Ravens in a recent interview
Chase recently hung out on an episode of The Sitdown with Malik Wright. Once the topic turned to defensive backs he has faced, he mentioned several lockdown cornerbacks, many of whom play in the AFC North, but guess what? None of them play for the Ravens.
Browns corner Denzel Ward earned a mention. So did three Steelers. Joey Porter Jr. and two of their new additions, Jalen Ramsey and Darius Slay, got the nod, as did his former LSU teammate, Derek Stingley Jr.
Let's play devil's advocate. In all honesty, Chase has torched the Ravens at times, especially in recent years, but it's hard to forget Marlon Humphrey beating him to a spot in Week 5 this season. He forced a turnover that eventually sent a close game into overtime. Baltimore closed the show with a game-winning field goal in the extra session.
Some might call this reaching, but you can best believe professional athletes pay attention to these things. It doesn't take much to add fuel to this rivalry's fire, but this may give the Ravens' secondary some added motivation during their two-game clash with 'the Bungles' this season.
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