Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase avoided a major injury scare during practice on Aug. 25.
Following practice, Chase held a media scrum at his locker and told reporters that he hyperextended his knee and would be able to play tomorrow if he needed to.
“Just a football play,” Chase said. “Missed step, missed my footing, and just a little tweak, but I'm fine.”
Chase said he tried to go back to practice following the injury, but he wasn’t allowed. The injury took place early in the day and he remained on the field watching next to his teammates until the conclusion of practice.
Ja’Marr Chase is down but is now able to walk off on his own power pic.twitter.com/83E2j57WuL
— Kelsey Conway (@KelseyLConway) August 25, 2026
Bengal
After he limped off the field and immediately received attention from the Bengals’ athletic trainer Matt Summers, Chase was trying to walk off the injury and spent a lot of time stretching out his leg.
The injury occurred in a normal practice setting for Chase. Quarterback Joe Burrow was targeting him deep down the field with cornerback DJ Turner in coverage. As Chase adjusted to catch the ball, he landed awkwardly and fell to the ground.
“I didn't know how I did it,” Chase said. “I just felt something, and I just like couldn't walk for a second. Then I sat down, and then that was it. A lot going on in my head in that moment, the first thing I did was just turn to God. Like all I could think about was just like to pray first and then worry about myself.”
Chase is entering his sixth season and has yet to suffer a significant injury with the Bengals. He’s played in 78 games and caught 520 passes for 6,837 yards and 54 touchdowns.
The Bengals have one final practice this week before leaving for Philadelphia ahead of their final preseason game against the Eagles on Aug. 28. Chase was unlikely to play in Cincinnati’s final exhibition game prior to this injury.
If Chase needs extra time to rest his knee, the Bengals are in a window where they can give it to him. Cincinnati doesn’t play a regular season game until Sept. 13 when they host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to start the regular season.
Chase was adamant that he was OK and is grateful that it wasn’t more serious.
“Stuff like this happens all the time,” Chase said. “It's football. Some things are out of control, and that was one situation that I couldn't control, but I can control now.
"I'm just happy I can walk still. That's the biggest blessing because I know what it feels like to not walk. So, I'm just happy I can still walk.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ja'Marr Chase explains what happened to his knee at Bengals practice
