CINCINNATI -- At the time, Ja'Marr Chase wanted to leave it a mystery.
When he scored a touchdown in a Week 11 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, the Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver grabbed the towel hanging from the back of his pants, kneeled down and wiped the football as if it were a baby's bottom. It was a tribute to a touchdown Steve Smith scored in 2005.
Why, exactly, wasn't something Chase wanted to disclose. That changed on Wednesday. Chase knew he could accomplish a feat only Smith and a few others had in their careers -- winning the receiving triple crown.