- Star receiver Ja’Marr Chase and the Cincinnati Bengals are embroiled in a contract dispute.
- Chase has also told the Bengals that he doesn’t plan to negotiate during the regular season.
- Chase recently took out a $50 million insurance policy on himself in case of injury.
Ja’Marr Chase is one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, and has been since he was drafted with the fifth pick of the 2021 NFL draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. He was reunited with his college quarterback, Joe Burrow, as the two won a national championship at LSU in 2019.
Chase has put up huge numbers, which has led to wanting a new contract. The receiver market was reset this season by Chase’s LSU teammate, Minnesota’s Justin Jefferson, and other wideouts. Chase and the Bengals couldn’t come to an agreement during the offseason. He has now decided to take out a $50 million insurance policy on himself ahead of this season.
Insurance Policy Gives Chase Assurance That He’ll Be Fine If Injured
An ESPN report from September 14 revealed that Chase took out the $50 million insurance policy, just in case he was to get hurt, which would hurt him in contract negotiations with the Bengals. The
The report also revealed that Chase doesn’t plan to negotiate during the regular season with the Bengals, who also don’t like to negotiate during the season. Chase believes the Bengals assured him an extension was coming, and this has led to an awkward situation between the two sides.
Chase did show up to training camp on time, and it was rumored that he would sit the first two games. However, Chase has played both games, catching 10 passes for 97 yards and no touchdowns so far.
Chase likely wants a contract in the ballpark of Jefferson, who received a four-year, $140 million extension that included $110 million guaranteed. He has averaged similar numbers to Jefferson, so it’s fair that he would want a new deal.
It also can’t help Chase’s mood that other wide receivers got new deals this summer Dallas’ CeeDee Lamb, Philadelphia’s A.J. Brown, Detroit’s Amon-Ra St. Brown, and San Francisco’s Brandon Aiyuk all got new deals from their teams. Chase appears to be frustrated, and it carried over to a confrontation with a referee in Cincinnati’s 26-25 loss at Kansas City in Week 2. Chase is in the final year of his rookie deal, and will make $21.8 million this season. But rest assured, Chase is a major part of the Bengals’ offense and will play a big role in their chances at NFL betting sites.
Chase Wouldn’t be the First Athlete to Insure Himself
Chase definitely isn’t the first athlete to take out an insurance policy on themselves, and he won’t be the last. An SI article from 2023 shows a list of athletes that has done so in the past. Competitive eater Takeru Kobayashi had a $100,000 policy on his stomach. Former NFL safety Troy Polamalu insured his hair for $1 million, in due to his relationship with Head & Shoulders.
Former MLB Home Run king Mark McGwire insured his ankles for $12 million after having problems with them in the past. However, the article also reveals that the insurance policy was the reason McGwire took androstenedione, a steroid that was later banned by Major League Baseball.
Tennis star Venus Williams insured her wrists for $15 million, and former NFL quarterback Brett Favre insured his right arm for almost $23 million. Soccer stars Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and David Beckham have all insured their legs.
If you’re an athlete, your body is your moneymaker, so it makes sense to take out an insurance policy with a big deal on the horizon.
