Ja'Marr Chase takes issues with the NFL-style football: "The ball is different"

When Ja’Marr Chase was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals, many believed his chemistry with Joe Burrow from LSU would help create an unstoppable duo. However, things haven’t gone swimmingly this summer, with Chase plagued by drops throughout the preseason.

According to Chase, it’s literally the NFL-style football that’s been giving him the yips.

“The ball is different because it is bigger,” Chase said via the team’s website. “It doesn’t have the white stripes on the side so you can’t see the ball coming from the tip point so you actually have to look for the strings on the ball at the top, which is hard to see because whole ball is brown and you have the six strings that are white. But for the most part, just have to get used to it and find out what I am comfortable with catching.”

In an effort to get used to the football he’ll be catching, the former LSU star has been staying after practice to get extra reps in. The Bengals have been getting their money’s worth from their Jugs machine, as Chase is doing everything he can to correct the problem.

“I never said it was hard to catch.”

Moreover, Chase doesn’t want anyone to misconstrue his words. While he said the ball was different, he wants the world to know he never said it was hard to catch.

haha i never said it was hard to catch. they asked me what the difference was in the ball💀. don’t change my words!!! https://t.co/gvt54byEYy

— Ja’MarrChase (@Real10jayy__) September 9, 2021

“Haha I never said it was hard to catch. They asked me what the difference was in the ball,” tweeted Chase, quoting a story saying the NFL ball was harder to catch than the NCAA ball. “Don’t change my words!” 

While Chase may not have meant the NFL-style football was harder to catch, one way to put the critics to bed is to limit his drops in 2021. Luckily, the fifth-overall selection in the 2021 NFL Draft pinpointed the exact reason the drops have been a problem.

“My drops come from me not looking the ball in. By looking the ball in I’m talking about high-pointing it and watching it and as soon as it hit you looking away,” Chase said. “Me running before the catch. Me doing stuff like that and dropping it. I did that a couple times.”

The first step is identifying the problem, now Chase can work on correcting it.

“He’ll be fine.”

T.J. Houshmandzadeh, one of the best wide receivers in Bengals history, isn’t worried about Chase’s preseason struggles. Moreover, Houshmandzadeh believes the electrifying play we’ve seen from Chase will return.

“Just relax and play and don’t think about it. He says he’s not. But he is. Human nature,” said Houshmandzadeh. “Just work on getting open and creating separation. The rest will come. You know you’re going to catch the ball.”

“Joe throws a real catchable ball. He’ll be fine.”

The size of the football may be different, but Ja’Marr Chase will be the same superb receiver we saw in college with the Cincinnati Bengals in no-time.