The Cincinnati Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase-Joe Burrow combination is enough to have fans dreaming about a Super Bowl in any given year. However, in advance of the 2026 season, the energy around Cincinnati just feels different, and Chase sounds determined to prove he's the best wide receiver in the sport.
Burrow and Chase are quite different personalities, though. After being more candid to start his career, Joe Brrr has become a little chillier with the media. Chase just seems to open up more by the day, and unlike his good buddy/elite quarterback, who prefers to work in silence, Ja'Marr is not shy about sending a strong message on social media from time to time.
Let's just say Chase made a massive statement in advance of Bengals training camp.
Chase raves about offseason as veterans prepare to report
In an Instagram training video that'd induce eye rolls from a lot of players but doesn't for Ja'Marr Chase because of how world-class great he is at his job, this was what the 2024 Triple Crown winner had to say:
"Alright, right now we in Miami, man. Literally last workout before we report, bro. Man, I ain’t gonna lie, it’s been a good offseason...Honestly, can’t complain about nothing. S***'s going on. Haters gonna hate, but the one thing that ain’t stopping is that money. That s*** is always gonna flow, you know why? ‘Cause we working. If y’all ain’t working, wake the f*** up."
Listening to those passionate words from Chase and watching footage of his precise route-running and sheer explosive athleticism is enough to make this Bengals fan feel more wired than Dan Campbell after his cartoonish coffee order.
This is like a Pulp Fiction adrenaline needle to the heart. We're almost to the end of the NFL offseason doldrums. Bengals veterans report to training camp on Tuesday. That's tomorrow upon publication of this here article.
Chase sounds like a man who might be just a little fired up to play meaningful football again. Unfortunately, in two of the past three years, Burrow has gotten seriously injured to all but derail Cincinnati's postseason hopes. During that aforementioned 2024 campaign, it was the defense that let a healthy Burrow and Chase down.
Now that the defense is much more dialed in after the trade for Dexter Lawrence and myriad other additions, Burrow has become more outwardly enthusiastic about the team's outlook for 2026. Chase is evidently following suit.
This feels as much like a rallying cry for Who Dey Heads as it does a warning to the rest of the NFL from Chase. He's not resting on his laurels as one of the most accomplished wide receivers in football history through his first five seasons. Yes, Chase mentions the "money flowing", but as he punctuates his statement, he emphasizes how his work ethic is what got him so much success. There's no slowing down in sight for him.
If the Bengals get the full-tilt, healthy versions of Burrow and Chase this year, and the defense is passable, a return trip to the Super Bowl feels well within reach.
Cincinnati's dynamic duo is years removed from those dual AFC Championship Game berths and Super Bowl LVI appearance. They're far better players now than they were then. So many more reps under their belts as a tandem.
Is it September yet? Chase's fiery testimony makes the eve of training camp's proper kickoff feel like game day.
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