Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase’s All-Pro honor has another layer of greatness under the surface we haven’t seen in 8 years
Ja’Marr Chase continues to impress us from a historical perspective.
Ja’Marr Chase was one of the lone bright spots for the 2025 Cincinnati Bengals, and has earned another accolade to prove it.
Chase was named to the 2025 AP NFL All-Pro Team, joining Puka Nacua of the Los Angeles Rams, and Jaxson Smith-Njigba of the Seattle Seahawks as First Team All-Pro wide receivers.
Chase is one of seven players to be named First Team All-Pro for the second consecutive year this season, joining left guard Joe Thuney of the Chicago Bears, center Creed Humphrey of the Kansas City Chiefs, right guard Quinn Meinerz of the Denver Broncos, right tackle Penei Sewell of the Detroit Lions, defensive end Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns, and cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. of the Houston Texans. Only Chase and Garrett were on non-playoff teams for both 2024 and 2025.
The circumstances Chase dealt with this year, however, make his feat even more unique.
Ja’Marr Chase was an All-Pro despite quarterback chaos in Cincinnati
It’s not just that Chase was third in receptions (125) and fourth in receiving yards (1,412) in his fifth season with the Bengals, it’s that he posted those numbers despite catching passes from three different starting quarterbacks.
Joe Burrow started just eight of Cincinnati’s 17 games due to the turf toe injury he suffered in Week 2. Joe Flacco was the starter for six games after the club traded for him following Jake Browning’s three starts in relief of Burrow.
Chase weathered the storm and still had a season fit for his standards. His career 17-game average is 113 receptions for 1,490 yards.
The Bengals had not had three QBs start at least three games in a season since 1984, but when was the last time an All-Pro wideout dealt with that many starting QBs each starting that many games? It wasn’t 41 years ago, but it wasn’t yesterday, either.
Chase did his best Deandre Hopkins impression
That’s right. Former Texans WR Deandre Hopkins was a First Team All-Pro in 2017, the year Houston lost rookie QB Deshaun Watson during his sixth-ever start. Tom Savage, who actually started Week 1 for the Texans, started a total of seven games, and T.J. Yates started three.
Hopkins still managed 96 receptions for 1,378 yards and a league-best 13 touchdowns, earning him his first-ever All-Pro nod despite Houston finishing 4-12 eight years ago.
Tyreek Hill also had a similar experience in 2022 for the Miami Dolphins. Hill recorded 119 receptions for 1,710 yards with Tua Tagovailoa starting 13 games, and Teddy Bridgewater and Skyler Thompson each starting two games apiece. The Dolphins still managed to be a wild-card team at 9-8.
No matter who was under center, Chase, Hopkins, and Hill all did their jobs at an elite level. Chase is just the latest example of overcoming it, and he wasn’t on a playoff team like Hill was in 2022.
Chase is the fourth Bengal in franchise history to make back-to-back All-Pro teams, joining Hall of Fame OT Anthony Munoz (1981-83, 1985-1990), potential Hall of Fame OT Willie Anderson (2004-06), and the ever-entertaining Chad Johnson (2005-06).
This honor weighs a little bit heavier considering what happened outside of Chase’s control.