Ja'Marr Chase reveals one bizarre reason why Joe Burrow denied throwing him the ball
Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase, who played with Joe Burrow at LSU, has revealed a quirky college memory about the quarterback. Posted by the NFL's official X account on Saturday, Chase explained during a press conference that Burrow once refused to throw him the ball — over lotion.
Chase admitted that he used a type of lotion that kept players warm in cold conditions. However, what made the story hilarious was Burrow's reaction when he saw Chase "shiny" during an LSU-Ole Miss game.
"We got in the huddle," Chase said. "Well, I think this was like, I don’t think the game had started yet. I was walking towards the field and I think I bumped into him, or maybe he just saw me looking shiny.
"He touched me and was like, 'What’s that?' I said, 'Oh, that's the dumb stuff.' He was like, 'Bro, take it off.' I was like, 'What?' He said, 'Bro, I’m not throwing you the ball if you’ve got it on.'"
Chase obliged and ditched the "Warm Lotion" on the spot.
The story proves how strong the chemistry between Ja'Marr Chase and Joe Burrow was which began during the Tigers' historic 2019 championship season and has carried over to the NFL.
Ja'Marr Chase was drafted a year after Joe Burrow in spite of being from the same 2021 NFL draft class
Ja’Marr Chase and Joe Burrow entered the NFL in different years. While the QB was drafted and debuted in 2020, the WR opted out of that season to prepare for an NFL career and avoid getting injured. Eventually, Chase joined the Bengals in 2021.
It was Chase's agents who reportedly convinced him to skip his third year at LSU to come out as a top draft prospect. The gamble paid off.
From the Bengals' end, reuniting Chase with Burrow was a strategic move, thanks to the unmissable chemistry between the two during LSU’s championship run.
After debuting in 2021, Ja'Marr Chase lived up to expectations and was named the Offensive Rookie of the Year. Moreover, he helped the Bengals reach the Super Bowl, the team's first appearance since 1988.