Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase has so far had quite the rookie campaign to remember, which has caught the attention of longtime San Francisco 49ers wideout Jerry Rice.
The Hall of Fame wide receiver recently took some time to speak on the NFL Network’s “NFL Now” program where he lauded Chase’s standout play in his debut season in Cincinnati.
“He doesn't seem like he's a rookie,” Rice said. “He's playing like a veteran. His route running, his confidence, his game breaking abilities.
“He wants the ball. He wants to be that guy and I think his physicality off the line of scrimmage, his bump and run. This guy can do it all and I think he's loving the limelight right now. He's having fun.”
Chase has achieved milestone after another with the Bengals this season, which has included becoming the first rookie wideout in NFL history to record at least two 100-plus receiving yard games in a single postseason.
The job is not done yet for Chase, as the Bengals will meet the Kansas City Chiefs in the upcoming 2022 AFC Championship Game. While the Chiefs head into the game as the odds favorite to clinch a win over the Bengals and thus advance to a third straight Super Bowl, Rice sees that the reigning AFC North champions should not be counted out just yet.
“They have a legitimate chance of winning, and I know they have to go to Arrowhead, they have to play Patrick Mahomes and all those guys,” Rice said. “I think with the Cincinnati Bengals, they feel like we deserve to be here and we have a chance.”
When the Bengals and Chiefs met in Week 17 of the regular season, Chase recorded 266 receiving yards and a trio of receiving touchdowns. The Bengals may need an encore showing from Chase this week in what could end up being a high-scoring AFC title game.