Chad Javon Johnson (born January 9, 1978), known as Chad Ochocinco from 2008 to 2012, is an American former professional football player.
As is his custom, Johnson tethered his cell phone to his ear moments after the game to call back home to Miami. This time he dialed up his brother, Sam. That's what Johnson calls Sam and his sister, Chinita. Sam and Chinita Brown.
Sam keeps in touch with the father they share, but has the name they don't. Sam Brown Sr. Chad never knew him. Still doesn't. Chad and his younger brother, Chauncy, took their mother's maiden name of Johnson.
Sam Sr. knew who he was, knew he played football at Miami Beach High, and knew he went on to play football in college. But Sam Sr., has been in jail the past six years and never knew he had a son in the NFL until Sam Jr.
The Discovery
"It was right after last season. One of my Mom's friends gave me the address and said, 'This is where they stay,'" Johnson says. "I went right over there to introduce myself. They weren't there, but Sam came to my house the next day, and we've been tight ever since.
Read also: Chad Johnson's Mexico Football Experience
Do you realize I hung around with him at the park playing football and basketball when we were kids and never knew he was my brother? There's more. There's always more with Chad Johnson.
"He cried," Sam Jr. said. "I guess they don't get a lot of information in there. The only thing he sees are the highlights on ESPN and that's where he's watched him since I told him.
A few weeks ago after he got benched for a few plays to start a game for what appears to be mouthing off to a coach, Johnson mused that all he cares about is football. And that's where his head is now. If not. . . That's fine, too, because it's all about football now.
Chad Johnson: I slept at the stadium for 2 years
He's sleeping at Paul Brown Stadium on Wednesday and Thursday nights in the players' lounge after watching tape. You can do that when you live a skinny post pattern away at One Lytle Place, a seven-minute walk to PBS.
"Our horse is out. I've got to step it up another level. We all do," Johnson says. His father? He's not even sure why he's in jail, or if he knows, he won't say.
Read also: Johnson's Financial Moves
Sam Jr., and his mother say it was a probation violation, and that he can be out in a year. "Really?" Chad asks.
It has waited 25 years. Imagine the questions. From the most basic ("What does he look like?") to the toughest ("What happened?").
"In time," Johnson says. "I'm not really thinking about it right now. Of course I have questions. Of course, there are things I've thought about my whole life. I was going to go visit him once during the offseason. Sam was going to take me. But it didn't work out. I had to leave town.
The family says Sam Sr., has been a good father and has been a good provider.
"I'm not going to push it," Sam says. "When he's ready, it will happen. They look just alike."
Read also: Cincinnati Bengals: Chad Johnson Jerseys
Family Bonds
"He came to our door on his birthday. January ninth," Chinita says of Chad. "He just blended in with us right from the start.
Chad calls their mother, Sandra, "Sandra B." Sandra would have good reason to shut the door in Chad's face on that 25th birthday.
"I love children. My children mean everything to me," Sandra B. says. "I treat them all the same.
Sandra B. lives around 43rd and 42nd streets in the Liberty City section of Miami. Chad grew up with his grandmother scurrying around the same streets and parks, but several blocks away from each other. Talk about so close, yet so far.
"I've known I've had two other brothers my whole life," says Sam Jr., who is a year older than Chad. "I knew their names, but I didn't know their last names. And then to find out that one of them was Chad.
"When I went over to his house the day after he came to my house, I was in shock. You have to understand. We used to hang out. We played 15-and-under, 14-and-under football. We played against each other. We walked home together from the park. I followed him when he went to Oregon (State) and I'm fan of the NFL, but I never watched Cincinnati.
He's really a great guy. Once you get to know him. Chinita, 33, now tapes every Bengals' game, and has a hard time believing that is her brother out there making all those catches. Sam Jr. says they plan to spend a lot of time together when Chad comes home from the bye weekend of Oct.
Most stars might be wary of finding some new family members. In a lot of cases, that would mean giving some things. "Just his love," Sam said.
"It's a nice feeling," Johnson says. "All of a sudden, your family gets bigger. It's fun. He really has had some great catches this year. Sam can give him the stats. He leads the AFC in receiving yards and yards per catch, but the entire NFL in fairy tales.
Popular articles:
tags: #Chad
