Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase’s comments about facing the Browns this weekend rubbed Browns defensive end Myles Garrett the wrong way.
Chase downplayed the idea that there’s any extra incentive to beat Cleveland because the Browns have gotten the better of the Bengals in eight of their last 10 matchups, including three of four since Chase joined the team. Chase said he didn’t pay attention to it because “Cleveland is Cleveland” about the Browns and then added that he almost called them “the elves” in a shot at the revived logo the Browns are using at midfield this season.
Garrett called Chase’s remarks “bulletin board material” and said “it’s best to really just stay out of the situation,” especially if you’re going to bring Brownie the Elf into the conversation.
“See now that was disrespectful,” Garrett said, via Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. “He didn’t have to go there. The elves was probably … he knew better. We might have to have a discussion before or after the game, maybe during if I see him. But yeah the elves is a little bit too far.”
There’s not much need for extra motivation when it comes to a divisional game to kick off the regular season, but it seems Chase has provided the Browns with a little of it.
