Alex Kemp and Ja'Marr Chase speaking during Bengals-Chiefs game.Alex Kemp and Ja’Marr Chase (Photo via @Rate_the_Refs Twitter)
Lip readers on social media think they’ve uncovered what NFL referee Alex Kemp told Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase before penalizing him for unsportsmanlike conduct in Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

In the fourth quarter of the Bengals-Chiefs game at Arrowhead Stadium, Ja’Marr Chase confronted Kemp after the refs failed to penalize Kansas City for what the star wideout thought was an illegal hip-drop tackle.

Chase was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct, costing Cincinnati field position and forcing them to settle for an Evan McPherson field goal instead of a potential touchdown that would have greatly improved the Bengals’ chances of winning:

Social media lip readers think they’ve uncovered what exactly Kemp said to Ja’Marr Chase before the unsportsmanlike penalty. They believe Kemp was telling the star wide receiver to, “get the f**k out of my face.”

The Chiefs went on to win the game 26-25 after Harrison Butker kicked a 51-yarder as time expired. Kansas City was saved by a controversial pass interference penalty call on Bengals safety Daijahn Anthony that wiped out a game-sealing stop on 4th-and16, allowing Patrick Mahomes and Butker to play hero once again.

Per Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic, Kemp told reporters after the game that Chase used “abusive language.” Kemp wouldn’t reveal what exactly Ja’Marr Chase told him, and the Bengals superstar did want to discuss the matter in his post-game interview.

Slow Starts Are Nothing New For Ja’Marr Chase & Bengals

With the loss, Ja’Mar Chase and the Bengals have started 0-2 for the third consecutive year. With the Pittsburgh Steelers defeating the Denver Broncos on Sunday afternoon, Cincinnati is already two games out of first in the AFC North.

But keep in mind that the 2022 Bengals started out 0-2 before finishing the year on a 12-2 en route to an AFC title game appearance, where they narrowly fell to Kansas City.

The Bengals will try to avoid a disastrous 0-3 start when they host Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders next Monday night.