Chad Johnson

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For the American football cornerback, see Chad Johnson (cornerback). For other persons named Chad Johnson, see Chad Johnson (disambiguation).

Chad Johnson

Chad Johnson prior to the 2007 Monday Night opener.
Cincinnati Bengals — No. 85
Wide receiver
Date of birth: January 9, 1978 (1978-01-09) (age 30)
Place of birth: Miami, Florida
Height: 6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) Weight: 192 lb (87 kg)
National Football League debut
2001 for the Cincinnati Bengals
Career history
College: Oregon State
NFL Draft: 2001 / Round: 2 / Pick: 36
 Teams:
Current status: Active
Career highlights and awards
Stats at NFL.com

Chad Johnson (born January 9, 1978 in Miami, Florida)[1][2], is an American football wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Bengals in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Oregon State.

Contents

[edit] Early years

Johnson's first love was soccer, but he chose football in high school because it gave him more opportunity.[3]

[edit] College career

After graduating from Miami Beach Senior High School in 1996, Johnson attended Santa Monica Junior College in 1997, where he was a teammate of future Carolina Panthers star wide receiver Steve Smith. In 2000, Johnson transferred to Oregon State University after being aggressively recruited by coach Dennis Erickson. Alongside future Bengals teammate T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Johnson led his team to an 11-1 season and a victory over Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl that year. He also broke a school-book record for the longest touchdown reception by any player in their school's history with a 97 yard reception in a game against Stanford University.

Johnson finished his sole season at Oregon State with 37 receptions for 806 yards and 8 touchdowns.

He was a Physical education major at Oregon State.

[edit] Professional career

The Cincinnati Bengals chose Johnson in the second round (36th Overall) during the 2001 NFL Draft.

[edit] 2001-2005

Johnson saw moderate playing time as a rookie, catching 28 passes for 329 yards and one touchdown. In 2003, Johnson set a Bengals franchise record by recording 1,355 receiving yards. In 2004, Johnson caught 95 receptions for 1,274 yards and 9 touchdowns. In one of the most impressive games, the 58-48 win against the Cleveland Browns, Johnson had 117 receiving yards. He later surpassed the record in 2005, recording 1,432 yards. Johnson has led the AFC in receiving yards for four consecutive seasons, and he has made the Pro Bowl 5 straight times in 2003,2004,2005, 2006, and in 2007.[4]

[edit] 2006

On April 20, 2006, Johnson signed a contract extension. The deal, which pays Johnson an additional $35.5 million, will last up to 2011.[5]

During the first half of 2006 Cincinnati Bengals season, Johnson saw little activity. After being bogged down by an early injury, Johnson's productivity endured a sharp decline. During the first eight weeks of the 2006 season, Johnson only caught two touchdown passes, while only amassing 483 yards. However, after shaving his Mohawk and changing his mentality, Johnson had a breakout game in a losing effort against the San Diego Chargers. Johnson accumulated 260 receiving yards and scored two touchdowns, which broke the previous Bengals record for most receiving yards in a game.[6]. He went on to amass 190 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns in a 31-16 win over the New Orleans Saints in the following week. This gave him an NFL record 450 receiving yards in back-to-back games, breaking the previous record of 448 set by San Francisco 49ers receiver John Taylor in 1989. In the following week, Chad gained 129 yards receiving breaking the three game receiving record since the NFL-AFL merger in 1970 and coming within 40 yards of the all-time record.

Johnson finished the 2006 season with 87 receptions for a league leading 1,369 yards and 7 touchdowns. He was the first Bengal ever to lead the NFL in receiving yards. He and Houshmandzadeh also became the first Bengals teammates to each amass over 1,000 receiving yards in the same season.

In addition to being one of the most productive receivers in the NFL, Johnson is also one of the most popular ones. In the fan voting for the 2006 Pro Bowl, Johnson finished first in votes for wide receivers, and fourth overall with 987,650 total votes.[7] He has earned nationwide attention for his flamboyant attitude, which is often seen during his infamous end zone celebrations after catching touchdown passes. In a list released in August 2006 by Fox Sports listing the top 10 showboats in professional sports, Chad topped the list.[8] Furthermore, Johnson has drawn even more attention to himself with his gilded grills, earrings, and as of 2006, his bleach blond mohawk, which he eventually shaved off after subsequent losses.

Before teammate Chris Henry was suspended for eight games of the upcoming 2007 season due to off-field issues, Johnson spoke of Henry in an interview with ESPN which was featured on NFL Live. He said in the interview of how Chris tried to act like a "hardball" and went a little too far, and that "everyone gets it".

[edit] 2007

In the first game of the season, on Monday Night Football against the Baltimore Ravens, Chad Johnson scored the game's first score on a 39-yard touchdown pass from Carson Palmer. Following the touchdown, Johnson grabbed a jacket that resembles the Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees' jacket that said, "Future H.O.F. 20??". Johnson finished the game with 5 receptions for 95 yards and a touchdown. In the next game against the Cleveland Browns, Johnson racked up 209 yards on 11 catches for 2 touchdowns in the 51-45 loss. This gave him a career total of 7,229 receiving yards, breaking the Bengals franchise record previously held by Isaac Curtis. The very next game against the Seattle Seahawks, Johnson totaled nine receptions for 138 yards as the Bengals lost again. Against the New York Jets, in which the Bengals won 38-31, Johnson had 3 receptions for 102 yards and a rush for 15 yards.

In the fourth quarter of the Bengals Week 9 loss to the Buffalo Bills Chad was rolled off the field on a stretcher, with a reported head injury. Johnson had dove out for a pass, with under a minute left in the 33-21 loss, and then was sandwiched by Donte Whitner and Coy Wire. Johnson was reported to be moving at the hospital.[9] He finished the game with three catches for 48 yards. A CT scan performed to detect nerve damage came back negative. Johnson did not miss any games due to the injury.

Over his next two games, Johnson didn't score any touchdowns or gain more than 86 yards. But he had a breakout performance in a November 25 win over the Tennessee Titans, catching a career high 12 passes for 103 yards and 3 touchdowns. This gave him over 1,000 receiving yards for the sixth consecutive season. He also surpassed Carl Pickens as the Bengals all-time leader in receptions.

By week 15, Johnson and Houshmandzadeh both gained over 1,000 receiving yards for the second year in a row. However, a loss to the San Francisco 49ers that week ensured the team would finish the year with their first losing season since 2002. Johnson finished the season with 4 catches for 131 yards and 2 touchdowns in a win over the Miami Dolphins, giving him 93 receptions for 1,440 yards and 8 touchdowns on the season.

His 1,440 yards set a new Bengals franchise record, breaking his own record of 1,432 in 2005. It was the third time that Johnson finished a season with a new Bengals record for receiving yards. Johnson's yardage was third most in the NFL, his receptions were 12th most, while his touchdowns were tied for 15th most in the league. Johnson was passed up on for the 2008 Pro Bowl team, instead selecting his teammate T.J. Houshmandzadeh.

He has played in 103 consecutive games since his rookie season in 2001.

[edit] 2008

On January 13, 2008, Johnson was a guest on ESPN's Mike & Mike radio show. During the interview, Johnson adressed how the media and team treated him during the 2007 season, saying, "I was labeled selfish and a cancer, and it hurt...Fingers were pointed at me this year. If the team and the organization wants to further itself (make the playoffs), I think you need to get rid of the problem...It hurt me. To do me that way and not to have my back. Things were said, and nobody came to my defense." Nearly a week prior, quarterback Carson Palmer was on the show, saying that Johnson deserved a contract extension.[10] However, head coach Marvin Lewis commented on the issue by saying that the Bengals will not be trading Johnson. "He is a Cincinnati Bengal for quite a while." Lewis said.[11]

On February 4, 2008, Johnson was selected as the replacement for Patriots' receiver Randy Moss in the 2008 Pro Bowl. The selection marked his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl selection. Johnson and teammate T.J. Houshmandzadeh will both be on the starting roster, marking the first time a pair of Bengals receivers have made the Pro Bowl in the same year.[12]

Also on February 4th, Chad Johnson's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, stated that Johnson will not sit out the 2008 season and will play, but would not say whether it will still be with Cincinnati or not. ESPN's Chris Mortensen reported that Johnson felt betrayed by Marvin Lewis and was privately threatening to sit out the 2008 season.[13]

During the first practice of the 2008 Pro Bowl, on February 7, Chad Johnson conducted an interview with an NFL Network reporter, but declined interviews with national media sources. An NFL public relations representatives attempted to stop Johnson from walking away at one point, due to the rule that players must allow to be interviewed during the Pro Bowl, but he was brushed aside by Johnson. It is reported that Johnson faces a possible fine.[14]

On February 14, 2008, Marvin Lewis announced that the Bengals have never discussed trading Johnson and won't unless the right deal is there. Reports stated that Johnson has been looking for a deal with the Washington Redskins. Lewis also stated that he has not spoken to Johnson since the last regular season game, yet when asked about the trade rumors, Chad said "Call me, Dan," referring to Redskins' owner Daniel Snyder.[15]

On March 20, 2008 Johnson discussed his desire to play for the Dallas Cowboys on Fox's The Best Damn Sports Show Period, stating "If I end up in Dallas, I would just look at which finger I'm gonna put it on. That's it. Ain't no ifs, ands or buts about it," [16] referring to winning a Super Bowl ring.

On NFL Network's NFL Total Access, Johnson said he did not want a pay raise from the Bengals, but rather a "change of scenery".[17] Johnson then refused to speak to reporters and missed the offseason workout programs and practices.[18] On April 16, Johnson announced he wanted to be traded before the 2008 NFL Draft or as soon as possible afterwards. Johnson also said he would not attend any Bengals' functions, mandatory or voluntary, despite what quarterback Carson Palmer said about Johnson reporting to the team's mini-camp.[19] The next day, April 17, teammate T.J. Houshmandzadeh told ESPN that it would be best for the Bengals to trade Johnson. "I think eventually he'll show up, but then you have to worry about how much of a distraction he'll be," Houshmandzadeh told ESPN.[20]

On April 22, the Cincinnati Bengals' declined a Washington Redskins' trade for Chad Johnson involving a first round 2008 NFL Draft selection and a 2009 NFL Draft selection.[21]

On June 3, nine days before the opening of the Bengals' mandatory minicamp on June 12, Johnson told ESPN The Magazine that he would be returning to the Bengals for the camp. "Am I coming back? Of course I am," Johnson told the magazine in the issue of which he was featured as the coverboy.[22]

[edit] Bengals franchise records

Johnson holds the following records in the Bengals organization:

  • Most receiving yards in a season (1,440)
  • Most receiving yards all-time
  • Most receptions
  • Most receiving yards in a game (260)
  • Most seasons with over 1,000 receiving yards (6)
  • Most touchdown receptions in a game (3, tied with several other players)

[edit] "The List"

During the 2005 NFL season, Johnson announced that he would keep a checklist, entitled who Covered 85 in '05, that would evaluate the defensive backs that successfully managed to cover him. On November 2, 2005, Marvin Lewis, the Bengals head coach, replaced Johnson’s list with another one entitled, Did 85 do everything he could to lead his team to victory 11-6-05. The list, an obvious parody of the original, asked several questions regarding Johnson’s performance both on and off the field.[23] According to the Bengals' official website, the list was aimed to galvanize the Baltimore Ravens, whom the Bengals would play in four days.[23] Johnson was not pleased with the new list, as he had developed a superstitious faith in the older list. Johnson had a stellar performance during the game, prompting the return of the original list.[23]

In 2007, Degree and Yahoo! created an online version of his checklist at TrashTalk85.com.[24] The checklist allows fans to vote for which NFL quarterback Johnson would like to play catch with the most. Every vote helps him raise money for his charity project,"Feed the Children".[24]

[edit] In the media

Chad Johnson appears on the cover of EA's NFL Street 3. He is the main adversary in the game, and narrates the tutorials with Clinton Portis and Byron Leftwich.[25]

[edit] Nickname

On October 25, 2006, in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, Johnson announced he would prefer to be called, "Ocho-Cinco" ("8-5" in Spanish). During the October 29, 2006 game against the Atlanta Falcons, Johnson wore "Ocho Cinco" instead of "C. Johnson" on the back of his jersey during warm-ups. This was prior to an interview where Chad "called out" Deangelo Hall, or, as to Johnson, Deangelo "Fall." Quarterback Carson Palmer ripped the label off Johnson's jersey to reveal the usual "C. Johnson" .[26] According to ESPN, Johnson was fined US$5,000 for the stunt (pending appeal).[27]

[edit] Personal

Johnson is a cousin of former NFL wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson and current NFL cornerback Samari Rolle.[28]

On May 5, 2007, Johnson was sued for allegedly not giving away a Lexus that was supposed to be raffled off. The suit added two plaintiffs that claimed that they have won trips from Johnson (one to Europe; one to Hawaii), that Johnson never awarded.[29]

On June 9, 2007, Johnson raced a thoroughbred racehorse over a furlong (220 yards) for charity. Chad, given a 110-yard head start, beat the horse by twelve lengths.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Personal Bio. Retrieved on 2008-01-18.
  2. ^ Bengals' Johnson talks the talk but walks the walk
  3. ^ SI.com - SI Players - First Person: Chad Johnson, Bengals Wide Receiver - Tuesday October 10, 2006 1:04PM
  4. ^ [http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15063347/ Chad Johnson’s numbers nothing to brag about] (2006-09-29). Retrieved on 2006-10-08.
  5. ^ Bengals sign Johnson to extension. Retrieved on 2006-08-15.
  6. ^ Old-fashioned shootout. Retrieved on 2006-11-12.
  7. ^ Record 70.5 million All-Star votes cast. Retrieved on 2006-08-15.
  8. ^ Golokhov, Dave (2006-08-15). Top 10 showboats in sports (English). Retrieved on 2006-09-08.
  9. ^ Bengals' Chad Johnson Injured, Leaves Game On Stretcher - Cincinnati News Story - WLWT Cincinnati
  10. ^ Bleeding Green Nation :: Chad Johnson appears to want out
  11. ^ Fantasy Football Breaking News - Rotoworld.com
  12. ^ The Canadian Press: Cincinnati Bengals WR Chad Johnson heading to fifth Pro Bowl
  13. ^ ESPN - Rosenhaus says Johnson will play in '08, but won't say if it's with Cincinnati - NFL
  14. ^ abc7chicago.com: Johnson's Pro Bowl starts with wrong kind of buzz 2/07/08
  15. ^ ESPN - Lewis says it again: Chad Johnson isn't going anywhere - NFL
  16. ^ Chad says he can bring Cowboys that ring
  17. ^ Fantasy Football Breaking News - Rotoworld.com
  18. ^ McClain: NFL hair length seems hardly worth fuss | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle
  19. ^ "Johnson says he won't attend team functions, demands trade" by John Clayton, ESPN - April 16, 2008
  20. ^ "Houshmandzadeh: It will be problem for Bengals if Johnson not dealt" - ESPN, April 17, 2008
  21. ^ ESPN - Skins offer '08 first-rounder, '09 pick for Johnson; Cincy says no - NFL
  22. ^ http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/8205586/Report:-Johnson-says-he'll-return-to-Bengals
  23. ^ a b c Hobson, Geoff (2005-11-02). Notes: Ravens at top of Chad's list (English). Retrieved on 2006-09-08.
  24. ^ a b McManamon, Patrick. "Frye trade just doesn't up", Ohio.com, 2007-09-15, pp. 3. Retrieved on 2007-09-22. 
  25. ^ Adams, David (2006-8-24). Chad Johnson Covers NFL Street 3 (English). Retrieved on 2006-09-11.
  26. ^ HOBSON (2006-10-25). Notes: Chad's Old English; Hall's New Deal (English). Retrieved on 2006-10-26.
  27. ^ Pasquarelli (2006-11-02). Chad Johnson to cough up $5K for 'Ocho Cinco' stunt (English). Retrieved on 2006-11-02.
  28. ^ Personal Bio. Retrieved on 2008-02-04.
  29. ^ Chad Johnson Sued For Bogus Raffle - FanHouse - AOL Sports Blog

[edit] External links

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