Chad Javon Johnson (born January 9, 1978), known as Chad Ochocinco from 2008 to 2012, is an American former professional football wide receiver who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 11 seasons.
An 11-year NFL veteran, Johnson was a six-time NFL Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro who left a legacy on the field. This wide receiver thought so highly of himself, he had two different names. From 2008 through 2012, Chad Johnson had his name legally changed to Chad Ochocinco. Ochocinco, which means "eight five" in Spanish, was also his number.
Johnson was born in Miami, Florida, and graduated from Miami Beach Senior High School. He briefly attended Langston University before transferring to Santa Monica College (SMC) in 1997.
Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson's Can't Cover Me Career Highlights | NFL Legends
College Career
In 1997, Johnson transferred to Santa Monica College, a community college in Santa Monica, California. While at SMC, Johnson played alongside another NFL legend wide receiver Steve Smith, and the pair played a vital role in the team’s success.
In 2000, Johnson transferred to Oregon State University, after being aggressively recruited by coach Dennis Erickson to play for the OSU team. After two seasons in Santa Monica, Johnson was heavily recruited by Dennis Erickson to join the Oregon State Beavers on their quest to gain prominence in the Pac-10, and Johnson helped them do just that.
Upon arrival at OSU, he teamed up with fellow receiver Chad Johnson to form one of the most dynamic 1-2 punches in all of college football. In his lone season in Corvallis, Johnson posted a stat line of 37 receptions for 806 yards and 8 touchdowns leading the team in the latter two categories.
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Chad Johnson with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2006
#80 broke the record for longest receiving touchdown in Oregon State Football history with a 97 yard touchdown grab against Stanford, solidifying himself as one of the premier deep threats of the 2000-01 College Football season.
NFL Career
In the following NFL draft Chad Johnson was selected by the Cincinnati Bengals in the with the 36th overall pick in the second round. The Cincinnati Bengals selected Johnson with the 36th overall selection in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft.
Donning the number 85 once he entered the NFL, Johnson legally changed his name to Chad OchoCinco before changing it back to Johnson in 2012. Wearing No. 85 - which is “ochocinco” in Spanish - Johnson was known for colorful quotes, often involving how unstoppable he was.
Johnson had 751 catches for 10,783 yards and 66 touchdowns in his 10 seasons with the Bengals, records that still stand as the most in franchise history.
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After spending the first 10 years of his career with the Bengals, Johnson played his final season in the NFL as a member of the New England Patriots. On July 28, 2011, the New England Patriots acquired Johnson in a trade with Cincinnati after he restructured a three-year contract for $6.35 million.
In 2012, Johnson played for the Miami Dolphins during preseason but was released following his arrest for domestic violence. He played for the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League (CFL) from 2014 to 2015, and played one game in 2017 for the Mexican team Fundidores de Monterrey of the Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional (LFA).
Career Highlights and Achievements
- 6x Pro-Bowler
- 3x All-Pro
- 2006 NFL receiving yards leader (1,369 yards)
Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chad Johnson during practice at training camp
Over the course of his NFL career Johnson was a 6x Pro-Bowler, 3x All-Pro, and the 2006 NFL receiving yards leader amassing 1,369 yards.
Johnson had statistically the least productive season of his career, catching 15 passes for 276 yards and one touchdown, all career lows. Johnson played in his first Super Bowl, catching one pass for 21 yards.
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Former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson is honored during the Bengals Legends Halftime Ceremony during an NFL football game against the Houston Texans on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2017, in Cincinnati. But one thing is certain. He's entering the ROH as Chad Javon Johnson, the Bengals all-time leading receiver with 10,783 balletic yards.
Off-Field Ventures and Personality
Johnson earned nationwide attention for his flamboyant attitude, which was often seen during his infamous end zone celebrations after catching touchdown passes. Over the years, his creative end zone celebrations included pretending to give a football CPR, dropping to a knee and “proposing” to a cheerleader; and removing a pile-on and putting the football with it like a golfer.
He is currently a panelist on the weekly highlight show Inside the NFL, a role he has held since the show moved to The CW in 2023. He also co-hosts the podcast Nightcap alongside Shannon Sharpe.
On March 1, 2010, it was announced that Johnson would be a contestant on Dancing with the Stars for the tenth season. During the 2010-2011 NFL season, he and teammate Terrell Owens teamed up for a talk show, The T. Ocho Show on Versus, talking football, basketball, and pop culture.
In 2010, Johnson was featured on his own reality television dating show called Ochocinco: The Ultimate Catch on VH1. Due to the 2011 NFL Lockout, on March 16, 2011, Ochocinco announced he would have a four-day trial for Sporting Kansas City of Major League Soccer. He appears on the cover of EA's 2006 video game NFL Street 3.
Ochocinco is known for his frugality and focus on financial responsibility. Chad recently opened up about his financial situation while coming up in the NFL and how he prioritized saving in his younger years to better position himself later in life.
Johnson has interests in sports outside of football. In June 2007, he footraced against a Thoroughbred racehorse over a furlong (220 yards / 200 meters) for charity; Johnson, given a 110-yard (100 m) head start, beat the horse by twelve lengths.
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