Earlier this year, Ja’Marr Chase became the highest-paid non-quarterback when the Bengals awarded him a four-year, $161 million contract. So, at least on paper, he has enough money in the bank not to fly commercial anymore. That’s why, when a fan spotted the Bengals star flying economy with him, he was star-struck.
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Unfortunately, what followed was sheer entitlement and poor behavior toward the receiver—actions that have since riled up the entire NFL community.
According to footage that has since made the rounds online, Chase was quietly minding his own business on the flight—hoodie up, headphones in. These are all clear signals that he wasn’t in the mood for attention. But the fan in question didn’t take the hint.
Right before takeoff, he recognized Chase and decided it was the perfect moment to ask for an autograph. Chase, however, declined the request respectfully but firmly. In an ideal world, that should’ve been the end of it. But instead of accepting the “no” and moving on, the fan’s mood soured… fast and loud.
“You should’ve signed that auto, and I wouldn’t have blown your cover,” the man barked across the plane cabin, essentially outing Chase’s identity to every passenger on board.
His outburst drew immediate attention from the lady sitting next to Ja’Marr Chase, not just for the tone, but for the sheer awkwardness of the situation. The Bengals star, however, didn’t even flinch. He kept calm and composed, refusing to give the moment any more oxygen than it already had.
Awful: A Bengals fan went OFF on Ja’Marr Chase during a flight after Chase denied him an autograph before takeoff.
“Should’ve signed that auto and I wouldn’t have blown your cover.”
Chase was just trying to mind his own business. pic.twitter.com/oNDbEBLiUp
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) June 22, 2025
No words. No response. Just complete silence and in doing so, he let the internet do the talking for him. Because once the video hit social media, the response was swift and brutal, not towards Chase, but towards the fan, whose sense of entitlement and lack of awareness left viewers cringing. “Pretty sure it’s an entitled white man,” wrote a user on X.
The rest of the fans, however, were split between two trains of thought.
On one hand, a section of the NFL community wondered why one of the highest-paid players in the league is flying economy. “Not sure if this is real, but why wouldn’t you charter a flight or fly first class with that much money?” asked a fan. “Why is he flying with the commoner?” added another.
On the other hand, online users unleashed their wrath on the rowdy fan on the flight for troubling Chase. “That fan is such a fuc*ing loser,” said one, encapsulating the general sentiment.
“Wrong title, instead should say ‘entitled man-child acts like a child on a plane cause another grown man didn’t want to do what he wanted’” chimed in another.
And amidst all this, one “X” user stood out for arguing that Chase should have satisfied the fan’s request. Especially considering how many like him spend their time and money to catch stars like Chase in action.
“When the public, who pays $200/game for tickets, with their hard earned income, asks for an autograph, suck it up, buttercup, and sign the autograph, and thank the fan for spending money to support him and the team. No sympathy for celebrities and sports figures.”
All said and done, in the end, Ja’Marr Chase didn’t need to say a word because his quiet reaction spoke volumes — and it was the so-called “fan” who got completely exposed. But episodes like these do make us wonder if fans really know the boundaries they need to adhere to around celebrities. Clearly, work needs to be done there.
