The Cincinnati Bengals’ 2025 campaign has largely fallen short of expectations, but their 45-21 win over the Miami Dolphins in Week 16 offered a few bright spots, one of which came from their star wide receiver. In a season where the Bengals have struggled to find consistency and were eliminated from playoff contention at 5-10, Ja’Marr Chase has continued to solidify his place among the NFL’s elite with another record-setting performance.

On Sunday, Chase recorded nine receptions for 109 yards, marking his seventh game this season with at least 100 receiving yards, a new franchise record that breaks his tie with A.J. Green, who set the previous mark with six such games in 2013. The outing also helped Chase reach another milestone, becoming the second-fastest player in NFL history to reach 500 career receptions, accomplishing the feat in 75 games, just seven games behind Michael Thomas’s all-time record of 68.

While the Bengals’ offense has struggled with injuries, inconsistent line play, and uneven production, Chase has remained a constant force. Through 16 weeks of the 2025 season, the 25-year-old receiver has 110 receptions for 1,256 yards and five touchdowns, ranking among the NFL’s top five in receptions and receiving yards.

Since being selected fifth overall by Cincinnati in the 2021 NFL Draft, Chase has become one of the most productive wide receivers in football. He has now surpassed 1,000 receiving yards in each of his five NFL seasons, a mark no other player in Bengals history has accomplished to start a career. His 2025 campaign also marks his third straight season with at least 100 receptions, continuing a level of consistency unmatched in franchise history.

Chase’s durability and route efficiency have been pivotal in stabilizing Cincinnati’s offense amid injuries to key teammates, including quarterback Joe Burrow, who missed nine games earlier in the season. Chase has accounted for 34% of Cincinnati’s total receiving yards this season.

Chase’s production comes in the first year of his four-year, $161 million contract extension signed in March 2025, which made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history at the time and remains the highest-paid wide receiver in the league. The deal averages $40.25 million per year, surpassing previous records set by Tyreek Hill and Justin Jefferson before linebacker Micah Parsons’ deal later redefined the non-quarterback market.

So far, Chase has lived up to the value. His career totals now sit at 505 receptions, 6,681 receiving yards, and 51 touchdowns, all before turning 26. He ranks sixth in Bengals history in receiving yards and is on pace to surpass Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson’s franchise record of 10,783 yards if his production continues.

Even as Cincinnati’s playoff hopes have faded, Chase has proven that he remains among the elites of his generation.