Chad Johnson News: Pro Sports Daily

Ochocinco is in JaMarcus Russell's corner

Comment

November 20

Contra Costa Times

"Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco has a well-earned reputation for speaking his mind. He said Thursday that benched Raiders quarterback JaMarcus Russell is a victim of his supporting cast. "Man, JaMarcus is extremely good," Ochocinco said in a conference call with Bay Area media. "You have to remember, a quarterback can only be as good as his supporting cast. Case closed. Always. It will always be that way. Always." Ochocinco said New England's Tom Brady or Indianapolis' Peyton Manning would be struggling just as much as Russell in Oakland's offense, which is ranked 31st in terms of yards and points per game. It doesn't help Russell that he is playing for his second head ..."

Ochocinco fined $20K by NFL

Comment

November 14

ESPN.com

"Chad Ochocinco has been fined $20,000 by the NFL for flashing a dollar bill at an official during a replay challenge -- a joking attempt at a "bribe" -- in last week's Bengals-Ravens game, team and league sources tell ESPN senior NFL analyst Chris Mortensen. The NFL also cited the Bengals wide receiver's use of the word "bribe" in his postgame comments to reporters. In the third quarter of last Sunday's 17-7 Bengals victory, Cincinnati quarterback Carson Palmer completed a 15-yard pass to Ochocinco. Baltimore challenged the call, contending that he was out of bounds, and the Ravens won the challenge."

Steelers are amused by Ochocinco's antics

Comment

November 12

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

"Steelers defensive backs apparently won't be getting mustard sent to them in advance of Sunday's AFC North showdown at Heinz Field. Cincinnati Bengals coach Marvin Lewis has told Chad Ochocinco to refrain from a gesture similar to the one the star wideout made last week when he sent deodorant to the Baltimore Ravens. Ochocinco posted on his Twitter account that he planned to mail mustard to the Steelers' practice facility because their defensive backs wouldn't be able to "ketch-up" with him. Starting free safety Ryan Clark said he would be offended if the Steelers didn't get the gift that one of the NFL's biggest hot dogs had promised for them. "If he doesn't send us anything, that means ..."

After win, Bengals' Chad Ochocinco turns diplomatic

Comment

October 26

Chicago Tribune

"Chad Ochocinco said there is a time to taunt and tease, and then there is a time to be professional. The Bengals wide receiver caught 10 passes for 118 yards and scored a pair of touchdowns in Cincinnati's 45-10 thrashing of the Bears on Sunday. Ochocinco had spent much of last week sending Tweets and text messages to Bears players such as cornerback Charles "Peanut" Tillman. "I know I did the talking before the game, man, but I respect Peanut to the fullest," said Ochocinco. "I have fun with the talking part. But there is a line that is drawn. Once we touch the field, I continue to work. So I talked to him positively throughout the game. I don't egg at people during the game. I always ..."

Tillman on covering Chad and being a dad

Comment

October 25

Chicago Sun-Times

"Shadowing Chad Ochocinco, Charles Tillman's expected assignment today, won't be an easy task, but the Bears cornerback can put it in perspective. Tillman will travel Tuesday with his wife, Jackie, to Washington, where they'll speak with lawmakers about the Berlin Heart, the device that saved his daughter Tiana's life just before the start of last season. She was the first patient in Illinois to benefit from the small, computerized device that helps the heart pump blood until a donor transplant is available. The device is not FDA-approved yet and has been used on a clinical basis. ''I've got the easy part; talking about my daughter is easy,'' Tillman said. ''Obviously, she's the reason I'm ..."

Drab Chicago sports scene in need of some personality

Comment

October 25

Chicago Tribune

columnist Rick Morrissey

"A week of Chad Ochocinco's creative Tweets has brought home something that once seemed unthinkable: We followers of Chicago sports figures are living in Snoozeville. We're dangerously low on personalities. We're lacking free spirits. We're experiencing a critical shortage of true originals. If it weren't for White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, we would be almost completely devoid of characters. All right, we will include Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano, who is given to violent outbursts and exuberant twitchiness. Let's put it this way: There's nobody in the non-Venezuelan division who makes you laugh or roll your eyes or even shake your head at another Gatorade container taking a beating. Right ..."

Cincinnati Bengals Chad Ochocinco still a big threat

Comment

October 25

Chicago Tribune

"Chad Ochocinco is a 31-year-old, ninth-year Bengal who has been in five Pro Bowls. His 455 receiving yards rank sixth in the NFL, and he is averaging 15.7 yards per catch. He is the Bengals' all-time leading receiver. Ochocinco is coming off a down year in 2008, probably because he was fighting through hamstring and shoulder injuries. He has been playing faster this season. You can see him accelerating better and cutting quicker than he did a year ago, but he still isn't a burner. He did miss practice Friday with a hip injury that could affect him Sunday. What stands out about Ochocinco is how he loves the game and competes. At 6-foot-1 and 192 pounds he plays physically. Ochocinco gets ..."

Fork over $4.99 to chill with Chad Ochocinco? I'll pass

Comment

October 24

Dayton Daily News

columnist D.L. Stewart

"Just when I was starting to fear that modern technology couldn't possibly come up with anything new to make all of our lives worth living, modern technology has risen to the challenge once again. Because now we all can chill with Chad Ochocinco without leaving the comfort of our living rooms. We could, at least, if we were willing to spend up to $549 for an iPhone and then add a Chad Ochocinco application on to it. As the Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver himself informed the reported 300,000 fans who already follow him on Twitter: "If you can't fly here to chill with me, you can with this app." According to an Associated Press report, chilling with Chad includes sound bites in English and ..."

Lewis hit with fines for actions vs. Bengals

Comment

October 17

Washington Times

"By From combined dispatches The NFL fined Baltimore linebacker Ray Lewis $25,000 on Friday for two plays, including a helmet-to-helmet hit on Cincinnati receiver Chad Ochocinco. The Ravens said Lewis will appeal the fine. Both plays occurred in the fourth quarter of Baltimore's 17-14 loss Sunday. The league deemed Lewis "unnecessarily kicked the opponent" and later "unnecessarily struck a defenseless receiver." During the latter play, Lewis hit Ochocinco after a pass from Carson Palmer sailed incomplete, and the 15-yard penalty for unnecessary roughness helped set up the winning touchdown with 22 seconds left. Ochocinco lost his helmet during the collision but immediately popped up. After ..."

Chad throws another book your way

Comment

October 11

Cincinnati Enquirer

""My life is good." After you get past the dual middle fingers, which are blocked out, and the big grin that seems to have that "child, please" look to it, Chad Ochocinco's second book in four years carries that theme throughout. "Ocho Cinco: What Football and Life Have Thrown My Way" hits bookstores Oct. 27, but I got an advance copy Thursday. It was co-written by Jason Cole, the national NFL writer for Yahoo.com. In the interest of full disclosure, and maybe to drum up more sales before the new book comes out, I should note Ochocinco wrote a book with Enquirer columnist Paul Daugherty in 2006 called "Chad: I Can't be Stopped." The latest book, which covers 261 pages, has something for ..."

Is 'Dancing' in Chad's future?

Comment

September 25

Cincinnati Enquirer

"Since Chad Ochocinco loves dancing in the end zone, could he be on TV's "Dancing with the Stars" next spring? Video director Matthew "Mac" Cherry, a former football player who was cut by the Bengals during training camp four years ago, says the show wants the wide receiver next season. The owner of Cherry Entertainment in Los Angeles says a producer talked to him about Ochocinco when Cherry attended ABC's live "Dancing" results telecast Wednesday night in Hollywood. Cherry's post on Twitter: "I used to warm the bench for (Ochocinco) back in training camp of '05 w/the Bengals. I guess that's why they asked me about him for DTWS … I hope it works out. If Jason Taylor (Akron U alumni by the ..."

Chad Ochocinco's taunt amuses Steelers

Comment

September 24

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

"Chad Ochocinco is at it again. The boisterous Bengals wide receiver told reporters in Cincinnati on Wednesday that he is looking forward to making Steelers cornerbacks Ike Taylor and William Gay "kiss the baby." However, Ochocinco overlooked one key element in his trash talking directed at the Steelers' two starting cornerbacks. "I don't know what that means," Taylor said. "Did he say what that meant?" Gay said. "Kiss the baby" is the term Ochocinco popularized on HBO's reality series "Hard Knocks" this summer, detailing the Bengals' journey through training camp. It is a term he said means: "It's all over." "(Laughs) That's funny," said Gay when told the meaning. "Tell him that's cool," ..."

Threesome made Bengal's Lambeau leap possible

Comment

September 23

Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

"On TV it looked like a random bit of luck that three orange-clad Cincinnati Bengals fans were conveniently in the front row of Lambeau Field on Sunday to catch enemy combatant Chad Ochocinco when he leaped into the stands. It turns out he put them there for that exact purpose. Bengals wide receiver Ochocinco sent out a message on Twitter saying he wanted to do a Lambeau leap following a touchdown, a privilege normally reserved for the home team. These three Bengals fans responded by saying they'd provide a friendly welcoming committee. He took them up on the offer, got their contact information and sent out four free front-row tickets by certified mail to Mike Bergs' home in Evanston, Ill. ..."

Ochocinco brings back the list

Comment

September 23

ESPN.com

"For the big division game between the Bengals and Steelers this weekend, Cincinnati receiver Chad Ochocinco offered the first verbal salvo. Ochocinco had an important message he wanted to pass along to the cornerbacks of the defending Super Bowl champions heading into Sunday's game at Paul Brown Stadium. "This week I have Ike Taylor and William Gay, and I'm looking forward to making them kiss the baby," Ochocinco said confidently. It is not the first time he has used that phrase this season. Prior to Week 1's matchup against the Denver Broncos, Ochocinco made a similar vow, saying he was hoping to make Broncos cornerback Champ Bailey "kiss the baby" -- slang for "It's all over." Going ..."

All's well with Chad, for now

Comment

September 10

Cincinnati Enquirer

"All Child Pleases aside. . . All kisses of the baby, all TwitterRants, TwitterSmack, TwitterScoops and general Twitteration. . . all name changes (hola, Esteban!), boxing workouts, jewelry shopping, Skip Bayless-debating and Hard Knocks-starring aside. This is a very big year for Eight-Five. This is a major 17 weeks for Chad Ochocinco, the erstwhile Golden Child, who last year fell like Icarus from the rare air of stardom. It's amazing how interesting you are when you're a star. And how irrelevant you can become when you're not. He's 31 and coming off a bad year. If a wideout who's not a reining Pro Bowler celebrates himself, does anyone see it? Eight-Five requires your love; he worships ..."

Ochocinco taunts No Fun League's Twitter secret police

Comment

September 10

Denver Post

"Chad Ochocinco is promising a tweet surprise Sunday when Cincinnati hosts the Broncos. Said the Bengals star receiver to The Associated Press: "The Twitter world, they don't need a signal. They'll know. It's the quiet before the storm." Look for the NFL — which has banned players' use of social networks from up to 90 minutes before kickoff until after media interviews after the game — and also representatives of a player providing in-game updates on the player's personal networking accounts — to be watching closely. Ochocinco thinks he has found a way around it. "NFL, I would like to apologize to you guys early," he said. "I understand. I read all the fine print in the letters you sent, ..."

Rave reviews for Ochocinco

Comment

August 22

Cincinnati Enquirer

"On the day after the Bengals' 7-6 preseason victory over New England, people were still buzzing about Chad Ochocinco's extra-point attempt and kickoff to open the second half. After the game, the ninth-year wide receiver said that he had done some kicking at Miami Beach High School. He had not kicked in a game since high school until Thursday night. "It was easy, it was just like riding a bike," Ochocinco said. "You have not done it in awhile but it is still the game thing." Ochocinco then joked: "The more I can do the better. I'm thinking about challenging Carson (Palmer) for the starting (QB) job." Long a fan of soccer, Ochocinco got to show off his kicking skills with an extra point ..."

Ochocinco gets kick out of win

Comment

August 21

Boston Globe

"Seeing a circle of unfamiliar faces around his locker, Chad Ochocinco reached into his pocket and produced his iPhone and launched the photo application. "Since y'all have never met me before, let me show you something,'' the Bengals' mercurial wide receiver said, knowing the conversation was about to steer to his kicking prowess after an unexpected PAT proved to be the difference in Cincinnati's 7-6 exhibition triumph over the Patriots at Gillette Stadium last night. "Don't mind the women.''"

Chad Ochocinco lets foot do talking

Comment

August 21

Boston Herald

"From time to time, Chad Ochocinco has been known for putting his foot in his mouth. Last night he put it into the football, much to the delight of his Cincinnati Bengals teammates. Although Ochocinco has made his bones as a Pro Bowl wide receiver, at Gillette Stadium it was his second-quarter extra point that provided the Bengals with their 7-6 margin of victory over the Patriots in an otherwise dreadfully boring exhibition game. When Ochocinco got the emergency call after regular kicker Shayne Graham came up lame before the game, he was ready. His hands were ready and so was his foot. "I'm the starting kicker now," Ochocinco said. "Shane's hurt. I'm going to go see Mike (Brown, the ..."

Carson, Chad in synch

Comment

August 9

Cincinnati Enquirer

"With the passing game getting its moment during Saturday's mock game at Georgetown College, Chad Ochocinco seized the spotlight for the first time during training camp. After a slow start, Ochocinco, Carson Palmer and the rest of the black team offense were able to put things in gear. Even though the white team of reserves enjoyed a 21-17 win over the black team mostly made up of starters, the ninth-year receiver showed what he has been saying for all of the offseason - that it wouldn't take long for him and Palmer to find a rhythm. "The first two series we started out kind've slow, but during the third series we got things rolling," said Ochocinco, who had seven catches for 78 yards and ..."

Bengals' Ochocinco plans to Tweet during games

Comment

July 8

Dayton Daily News

"Chad Ochocinco is planning to "Tweet" while playing games with the Cincinnati Bengals this season. Ochocinco revealed his plans during an interview with a Houston radio station, according to ESPN.com and USAToday.com. The wide receiver had more than 10,000 followers on his Twitter account (ochoNFLcinco85) as of Wednesday, July 8. Twitter is a free social networking and micro-blogging service that enables its users to send and read each others' updates, known as tweets, according to Wikipedia.com."

Chad spices minicamp with talk of playoffs

Comment

June 19

Dayton Daily News

"Minicamp kicked off at Paul Brown Stadium on Thursday, June 18, with wide receiver Chad Ochocinco predicting a playoff season. "It's going to be scary," he said. "I'm trying to surpass what I've already accomplished. No point in going back to that." The five-time Pro Bowler (2003-07) struggled in 2008, turning in the worst season (53 catches, 540 yards, 4 TDs) since his 2001 rookie year. After training at the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, Calif., Ochocinco claims he's in the best shape of his life, and proved it by running 28 40-yard dashes in conditioning drills Wednesday. Separate groups ran 14 sprints each. He competed in both groups. "I'm in stupid shape," he said. "I wasn't just ..."

Mrs. Palmer puts foot down: Chad not a houseguest

Comment

June 19

Dayton Daily News

"Carson Palmer's wife, Shaelyn, can rest easy. There's no way her husband, the Bengals' quarterback, is going to let Chad Ochocinco, the team's star wide receiver, crash at their Southern California home in July while the two work out together. Three's company? Hardly. Carson said Shaelyn got either a text message or e-mail from a friend, saying Ochocinco planned to stay with the Palmers in the days leading up to training camp. Shaelyn gave birth to twins - a boy and a girl - on Jan. 20. "As soon as I walked in the door from work the other day, she just gave me that look," Palmer said. "I'm like, 'Whoa, calm down. It's media stuff. It's Chad being Chad.' "I told her, 'Don't worry. I haven't ..."

Ochocinco optimistic about 2009

Comment

June 18

ESPN.com

"Optimism is running extremely high with the Cincinnati Bengals this offseason. But leave it to receiver Chad Ochocinco to take the team's optimism several notches higher. "It's going to be a great year; we're going to the playoffs," Ochocinco guaranteed during Thursday's opening of mandatory minicamp. "We're going ... We're making progress. I mean, I see it, and I can come out on a limb and say what we're going to do." Ochocinco said he's happy, his mind is clear and everything feels right with the 2009 Bengals. The former Pro Bowler spent most of the offseason working out independently in Los Angeles before joining the team and looks in great shape. Ochocinco also said this year's team ..."

Chad, Carson getting along just fine, so far

Comment

June 12

Dayton Daily News

"As far as I'm concerned, Bengals stars Carson Palmer and Chad Ochocinco are like an ol' married couple. They argue, fuss and fight - we've all seen the sideline and on-field in-your-face animation between the two competitors. But at the end of the day, it's love. Chad has said it often, and he repeated it in the Bengals' open locker room after the club's Organized Team Activity practice at Paul Brown Stadium on Thursday, June 11: "There is no 85 without 9, and there is no 9 without 85." These two talented cats can't seem to live with one another or live without one another. Palmer, of course, disagrees vehemently with my marriage theory. "All that squabbling, it's all hype," Palmer said. ..."

Chad reports to Bengals

Comment

June 9

Cincinnati Enquirer

"A week earlier than anyone expected and in a much more low key manner than last year, Chad Ochocinco reported to the Bengals today. Ochocinco arrived in Cincinnati this morning after taking a flight from Los Angeles. He took his physical and then joined his teammates for their OTA session. The practice was closed to the media. The team will practice twice this week with Thursday's session open to the media. The ninth-year receiver told the team's official website on Monday that he talked coach Marvin Lewis last week and that he had his first conversation with quarterback Carson Palmer yesterday for the first time since the end of last season. "I know people are trying to say we're mad at ..."

Chad admits to performance issues

Comment

June 6

Cincinnati Enquirer

"What seemed to be Chad Ochocinco week on the NFL Network wrapped up Friday with a blunt admission from the Bengals wide receiver about his performance last season. "I'm not even going to lie to you, I'm going to say it. Last year, the offseason, I didn't lift one weight, I didn't run one route, I didn't exercise. I didn't do nothing because my focus was on getting out of a situation I didn't want to be in. I'm not going to lie," Ochocinco said. "And the result of my season, whether we as a team did bad or not, that's what I get. I get hurt in the preseason. I didn't lift no weights. If I had been on my right regiment, I guarantee you my collarbone, my shoulder wouldn't pop out of place. ..."

Chad says he'll be at minicamp

Comment

June 3

Cincinnati Enquirer

"Besides warmer weather, what is another sure sign that Bengals minicamp is drawing closer? Talk about a wide receiver not at the team's OTAs starts to dominate the conversation. With an NFL Network crew in attendance, the main topic wasn't about Carson Palmer's elbow, the addition of Laveranues Coles or Tank Johnson or the progress of Andre Smith and Rey Maualuga. Instead, it was on Chad Ochocinco and why he wasn't here. Such is life when the national cameras are around, but NFL Network's visit coincided with another development - Ochocinco gave an interview … to NFL Network. In his first interview since Super Bowl week, Ochocinco, who called last season humbling, an embarrassment and a ..."

Palmer: We still need Chad

Comment

May 31

Cincinnati Enquirer

"Carson Palmer has always been about loyalty, which is why during the past two weeks he has talked about the progress of the receivers who are participating in the Bengals offseason program. But don't think for one second that means he doesn't need Chad Ochocinco. For anyone who thought that, Palmer put a rest to those assumptions on Thursday when he appeared on Fox Sports Radio's Petros and Money Show. "He's a damn good receiver - that's obvious, everybody knows that - but the guys that are working here and busting their butt here deserve a shot," Palmer said. "When he shows up he'll show up and hopefully he's in great shape and he's ready to play. "But I never once said anything about not ..."

Palmer diplomatically disses Ochocinco

Comment

May 21

Cincinnati Enquirer

"The verbal salvos from Carson Palmer about Chad Ochocinco's absence from the Bengals this offseason have intensified. On Sirius NFL Radio on Tuesday, Palmer issued his strongest criticism yet about the absence of the ninth-year wide receiver. "It's definitely a new look for the Bengals receiver corps but I couldn't be happier with the guys we've got," Palmer said. "T.J.'s (Houshmandzadeh) gone and Chad's pretty much gone, he hasn't been here, so we've got guys that want those two spots, guys that compete day in and day out, when we're out there on the field, running, conditioning and in the weight room lifting. They're guys that want to take over for those two spots. They look every bit ..."

Ocho Cinco unlikely to be traded

Comment

April 12

Cincinnati Enquirer

"With the draft two weekends away, the amount of e-mail from curious fans has increased. And most of it has focused on one player, Chad Ocho Cinco, and one question: Will he be traded? The short answer is probably not. Barring a major change of course, he will be here after draft weekend and should be in Georgetown, Ky., for training camp. Since Ocho Cinco did not show for the voluntary offseason workout program March 30, the rumor mill has increased about the wide receiver's future with the team. Things went into overdrive last Saturday when a blogger had Ocho Cinco traded to the Raiders for a second-round pick and running back Michael Bush. Then on Tuesday, Michael Smith of ESPN reported ..."

Chad-to-Raiders report debunked

Comment

April 5

Cincinnati Enquirer

"There have been a lot of rumors and speculation the past week about Chad Ocho Cinco's future with the Bengals. First, he didn't show up for the beginning of offseason conditioning workouts on Monday. Then, Jason Cole of Yahoo! Sports on Thursday had a list of 10 players who could be traded before the draft, with Ocho Cinco at No. 2 On Saturday, a blogger on BleacherReport.com reported the Raiders and Bengals are hammering out a trade to send Ocho Cinco to Oakland in exchange for running back Michael Bush and a second-round draft pick. According to the blogger, Kushy Williams: "I got a quick minute to ask (new Raiders coach Tom) Cable about this trade, and he responded by saying this move ..."

Ocho Cinco absent from workouts

Comment

March 31

ESPN.com

"Bengals receiver Chad Ocho Cinco was absent from the start of the team's offseason program Monday, quarterback Carson Palmer said. After a down year in 2008, Palmer and the Bengals hoped Ocho Cinco would be present. "I'm not worried about him; I'm worried about the guys we have here," Palmer said at a news conference Monday. "The guys that want to be here and want to work now are the guys who are in the locker room right now and are here today." Despite Palmer's confirmation, Bengals coach Marvin Lewis would not say what players were present. Palmer did sound more upbeat when asked about other receivers such as Laveranues Coles, who was present."

Will Chad show for offseason workouts?

Comment

March 29

Cincinnati Enquirer

"The offseason conditioning program for the Bengals begins Monday at Paul Brown Stadium, which means we're close to answering everyone's favorite question - will Chad Ocho Cinco be there? The short answer, at the moment, is we don't know. "I plan on everyone to be here until I hear that they're not," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. "Now, there are some guys in weddings or classes who won't be here the first week but will the second, and vice versa. We should be at 90 percent or better in terms of attendance." If Ocho Cinco adheres to his word, he should be at PBS on Monday. During Super Bowl week, the wide receiver said he would participate in all offseason activities, which would be a ..."

Palmer out; Chad likely out

Comment

December 23

Cincinnati Enquirer

"Quarterback Carson Palmer will not play Sunday at home in the Bengals' season finale against the Chiefs, and it's unlikely wide receiver Chad Ocho Cinco will play. Ocho Cinco missed the game Sunday at Cleveland because of a low hamstring injury sustained Thursday in practice, and he said today that he didn't want to push it late in the season. Palmer will miss his 12th game of the season and his 11th in a row with the inflamed throwing elbow. "Carson will participate in practice in limited fashion, where he would not be contacted by anybody," Bengals coach Marvin Lewis said. Whether Palmer will have surgery remains his decision. "Carson has to be the one who has the feeling; we don't feel ..."

Lewis sits Ocho Cinco

Comment

December 8

Cincinnati Enquirer

"Chad Ocho Cinco did not start for the Bengals, though they opened in a three-receiver set - with T.J. Houshmandzadeh, Jerome Simpson and Andre Caldwell on the field.

The Bengals said the decision not to start Ocho Cinco was not "medically related" but was simply a coach's decision. Ocho Cinco has started 10 of the team's 13 games. In the second quarter, on a drive that resulted in a Cincinnati field goal, Ocho Cinco had a 26-yard reception - his longest of the season and the first for him of more than 20 yards since the first game of the season. "I chose not to start him," head coach Marvin Lewis said. "It was my decision not to start him but to play the other guys.""

Ocho Cinco won't play tonight

Comment

November 20

Cincinnati Enquirer

"Wide receiver Chad Ocho Cinco will not play in the Bengals game tonight at Pittsburgh because he violated an undisclosed team rule, the team announced this morning. The Bengals will play at 8:15 p.m. in Pittsburgh at Heinz Field. Chris Henry is the likely replacement for Ocho Cinco in the starting lineup opposite wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh. The Bengals had placed No. 3 wide receiver Antonio Chatman on the season-ending injured reserve list Wednesday with a back injury. Bengals spokesman Jack Brennan said the team would have no additional comment until after the game about Ocho Cinco's benching."

Chad takes measure of Mathis

Comment

November 3

Cincinnati Enquirer

"On the stat sheet, Jaguars cornerback Rashean Mathis, playing with an injured foot, seemed to have a good day against the Bengals' talkative wide receiver, Chad Ocho Cinco. Ocho Cinco, formerly Chad Johnson, caught only five passes for 37 yards and his longest catch was for only 11 yards. But Ocho Cinco made two short touchdowns catches of 2 and 10 yards in the first 20 minutes and that was the difference in the Bengals' 21-19 victory over the Jaguars. "I was right there,'' Mathis said of both of the touchdown passes he allowed. "It was just a good catch (both times). I'm the type I've got to show up. I've got to find a way to get my hand in there. Any other day I may get my hand in there. ..."

Even at 0-8, WR finds the fun angle

Comment

October 31

Jacksonville Times-Union

"Considering Cincinnati's winless record and status as a league cellar-dweller, you'd wonder why Chad Ocho Cinco (aka Chad Johnson) would say such things. The receiver's outspoken antics are no mystery to Jaguars linebacker Mike Peterson, who explained it's "just Chad being Chad." In a conversation with Jacksonville reporters about his team's chances Sunday against the Jaguars, Johnson explained why cornerback Rashean Mathis needs to pay his "tithes," the Bengals' struggles, and his need to return to being the fun-loving Ocho Cinco of old: So, can you put a finger on why your team has struggled so much? I can't put a finger on it. I would need a number of fingers [to point out] some of the ..."

In search of Chad Johnson

Comment

October 28

Cincinnati Enquirer

"The Chad Ocho Cinco of today isn't playing like the Chad Johnson of last season. He has 15 fewer receptions, 467 fewer yards and one less touchdown than he did in the first eight games of 2007. The numbers pale further when compared to his career figures after a season's first eight games. His 32 catches thus far are his fewest since 2002. His 312 yards are the least since his rookie season - and that includes three games he was inactive. So what gives? Ocho Cinco has said his play hasn't changed, despite a June ankle surgery and August shoulder injury. Days after catching only three passes at Dallas, the five-time Pro-Bowler was asked about his low numbers. He said they've been ..."

Texans WR Johnson faces pal Ocho Cinco, Bengals

Comment

October 26

Houston Chronicle

"When Texans receiver Andre Johnson runs out of the tunnel this morning for pregame warm-ups, Chad Ocho Cinco will be waiting for him. Every game against the Cincinnati Bengals has been the same. Ocho Cinco will seek him out to ask where the Texans cornerbacks are. If they aren’t on the field, he’ll load Johnson up with messages to send back to them in the locker room. "Every time I play against him, he’s always saying something crazy," Johnson said. "I think that just amps him up for the game. That’s how he gets himself ready to play. A lot of people take it the wrong way, but whatever you do to get yourself ready for the game, that’s what you do." Johnson laughs each time he talks about ..."

Jersey says Johnson for zero ocho season

Comment

October 24

Cincinnati Enquirer

"Chad Ocho Cinco will keep his dual identity for the rest of the season. The Bengals receiver formerly known as Chad Johnson said Thursday he'll wear his old name on the back of his jersey for the rest of the season. It would have cost him a lot of money to make the switch for this year. "We've just left it alone," he said. "I'll just wait and do it next year." The Pro Bowl receiver legally changed his name to Ocho Cinco last August, shortly before the start of the season. Reebok, which produces NFL jerseys for sale to fans, had a large inventory of jerseys with his old name ready for sale. The league respected the name change, but said he couldn't wear "Ocho Cinco" on the back of his ..."

No Ocho Cinco this year

Comment

October 23

Cincinnati Enquirer

"Chad Ocho Cinco will keep his dual identity for the rest of the season. The Bengals receiver formerly known as Chad Johnson said today he'll wear his old name on the back of his uniform for the rest of the season. It would have cost him a lot of money to make the switch for this year. "We've just left it alone," he said, in an interview. "I'll just wait and do it next year." The Pro Bowl receiver legally changed his name to Ocho Cinco last August, shortly before the start of the season. Reebok, which produces NFL jerseys for sale to fans, had a large inventory of jerseys with his old name ready for sale. The league respected the receiver's name change, but said he couldn't wear "Ocho ..."

Johnson on pace for worst season since 2001

Comment

October 15

Pittsburgh Tribune Review

"Chad Johnson is on pace to have his least productive season since 2001, and the Bengals wide receiver said today that may have something to do with his offseason demand that Cincinnati trade him. "I think it's somewhat deserving of my actions this offseason," said Johnson, who has been an afterthought in the Bengals' offense through their first six games. "I won't say it's somewhat of a punishment but you open your mouth and this is what you get and I understand that. "To rant and rave in the offseason like that and to expect to be productive or expect them to use me the same way they used me in the past is very unlikely. I made my bed and now I have to lay in it. I've apologized about it ..."

Reason for Chad's slow start? 'The monster'

Comment

October 9

Cincinnati Enquirer

"Wide receiver Chad Ocho Cinco, who has 14 receptions and one touchdown in five games, offered this explanation Wednesday for his low numbers. "My ankle's fine, my shoulder's fine, but for those who don't know why I'm not getting the ball, I have my own little philosophy on what's going on," Ocho Cinco said. "And I broke it down like this: Never, ever, ever, ever go against the monster because the monster always wins. Get it? So y'all put that in your own perspective and you'll understand where I'm coming from and why things are going the way it's going right now. OK, what else you want to talk about?" Is head coach Marvin Lewis, whom you kissed during the Dallas game, the monster? "No, ..."

Ocho Cinco's call of the wild

Comment

October 5

Arizona Republic

columnist Bob McManaman

"Every Wednesday in the NFL, head coaches andplayers hold conference calls with reporters. Sometimes, the conversations are trite and repetitive. But every once in a while, these calls become gut-busting hilarious. Such was the case last week when Cincinnati receiver Chad Ocho Cinco (formerly known as Chad Johnson) entertained the media by discussing Sunday's game between his winless Bengals and the 3-1 Cowboys at Texas Stadium. During his 20-minute phone call, No. 85 talked about everything from a possible Bengals upset victory to his plan of kissing the Cowboys' star logo at midfield should he score a touchdown. But mostly, he just talked and talked and talked. Ocho Cinco began the call ..."

Chad talks ... a lot

Comment

October 2

Cincinnati Enquirer

"Chad Ocho Cinco, who has largely held his tongue this season, let it rip Wednesday in a conference call with reporters that cover the Cowboys and later in the Paul Brown Stadium locker room. "That's America's team. It's one of the greatest organizations ever," Ocho Cinco said of the Cowboys. "This week, to show my respect for Dallas and its owner, Jerry Jones, I'm going to score and I'm going to kiss the star. I'm telling you, I'm not being rude about anything. I'm going to kiss the star. It's going to be fun. I'm excited to go to Dallas. You know, T.O. (Terrell Owens), you've got two of the don't-know-what-is-going-to-happen-next receivers playing. It's going to be fun." The wide receiver ..."

Bengals' Ocho Cinco hopes to do a number on the Giants

Comment

September 18

The Journal News

"The exploits of Chad Ocho Cinco are choreographed to make heads turn or eyes roll. It's all in the name of fun. And the zany Cincinnati Bengals wideout has no other explanation for legally changing his name this summer from Chad Johnson. "Just fun," he said. "Has it ever been done before?" There's a boxer who used to be known as Cassius Clay. "Oh," Ocho Cinco said. "I guess that'll work." He's otherwise known to be an NFL original, for better or worse. The end-zone celebrations often incite laughter. The sound bites usually spark controversy. Either way, he's the center of attention, which is what drives this crusade. "I hear it everywhere I go," Ocho Cinco said. "How in the world do they ..."

He'll Low-Key It vs. Jints

Comment

September 18

New York Post

"Believe this at your own risk. If he scores a touchdown on Sunday against the Giants, Chad Ocho Cinco says he'll do, well, nothing. "There won't be any celebrating right now," said Ocho Cinco, the Bengals receiver formerly known as Chad Johnson. "If I score, I will probably be handing the ball to the ref and going to the sideline and getting ready to see what we are going to do next. I have no room to do any celebrating, you guys know that." Sure. And it's a great time on Wall Street. There is no more colorful and polarizing figure in the NFL than Johnson, oops, Ocho Cinco, who legally changed his last name to correspond with the Spanish equivalent of his uniform number, 85. That bizarre ..."

He'll Low-Key It vs. Jints

Comment

September 18

New York Post

"Believe this at your own risk. If he scores a touchdown on Sunday against the Giants, Chad Ocho Cinco says he'll do, well, nothing. "There won't be any celebrating right now," said Ocho Cinco, the Bengals receiver formerly known as Chad Johnson. "If I score, I will probably be handing the ball to the ref and going to the sideline and getting ready to see what we are going to do next. I have no room to do any celebrating, you guys know that." Sure. And it's a great time on Wall Street. There is no more colorful and polarizing figure in the NFL than Johnson, oops, Ocho Cinco, who legally changed his last name to correspond with the Spanish equivalent of his uniform number, 85. That bizarre ..."