Chad Ocho Cinco

Infobox NFLactive


caption=Ocho Cinco prior to the 2007 Monday Night opener.
currentteam=Cincinnati Bengals
currentnumber=85
currentposition=Wide receiver
birthdate=birth date and age|1978|1|9
birthplace=Miami, Florida
heightft=6
heightin=1
weight=192
debutyear=2001
debutteam=Cincinnati Bengals
college=Oregon State
draftyear=2001
draftround=2
draftpick=36
pastteams=
* Cincinnati Bengals (2001-present)
status=Active
highlights=
* 3x All-Pro selection
* 5x Pro Bowl selection (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007)
* Bengals franchise records
statweek=4
statseason=2008
statlabel1=Receptions
statvalue1=570
statlabel2=Receiving Yards
statvalue2=8,481
statlabel3=Receiving TDs
statvalue3=50
nfl=JOH104425

Chad Javon OchoCinco [ [http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2008/0905081ocho1.html Legal name changing papers] ] (born Chad Johnson January 9, 1978 in city-state|Miami|Florida) [cite web|url=http://www.chadjohnson85.com/bio.php|title=Personal Bio|accessdate=2008-01-18] [ [http://www.usatoday.com/sports/football/nfl/bengals/2005-10-19-Johnson-feature_x.htm Bengals' Johnson talks the talk but walks the walk] ] 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.

Ocho Cinco has been selected to the Pro Bowl five times and named an All-Pro three times. He legally changed his surname from Johnson to Ocho Cinco prior to the 2008 regular season to reflect his Bengals uniform number.cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3560377|title=Bengals wide receiver changes last name to Ocho Cinco|publisher=espn.go.com|accessdate=2008-08-29]

College career

After graduating from Miami Beach Senior High School in 1996, Ocho Cinco attended Santa Monica Junior College in 1997, where he was a teammate of future Carolina Panthers star wide receiver Steve Smith. In 2000, he transferred to Oregon State University after being aggressively recruited by coach Dennis Erickson. Alongside future Bengals teammate T.J. Houshmandzadeh, he 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 record for the longest touchdown reception with a 97-yard reception in a game against Stanford University.

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

Professional career

The Cincinnati Bengals chose Chad Ocho Cinco in the second round (36th overall) during the 2001 NFL Draft.

2001-2005

Ocho Cinco saw moderate playing time as a rookie, catching 28 passes for 329 yards and one touchdown. In 2003, he set a Bengals franchise record by recording 1,355 receiving yards. In 2004, he caught 95 receptions for 9 touchdowns and 1,274 yards, including 117 receiving yards in a 58-48 win against the Cleveland Browns. He later surpassed the record in 2005, recording 1,432 yards. He has led the AFC in receiving yards for four consecutive seasons, and he has made the Pro Bowl 5 straight times from 2003-2007 [cite web|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15063347/|title=Chad Johnson’s numbers nothing to brag about|accessdate=2006-10-08|date=2006-09-29]

2006

On April 20, 2006, Ocho Cinco signed a contract extension. The deal, which pays him an additional $35.5 million, will last up to 2011. [cite web|url=http://www.tsn.ca/nfl/news_story.asp?ID=163322|title=Bengals sign Johnson to extension|accessdate=2006-08-15]

During the first half of 2006 Cincinnati Bengals season, Ocho Cinco saw little activity. After being bogged down by an early injury, his productivity endured a sharp decline. During the first eight weeks of the 2006 season, he only caught two touchdown passes, while only amassing 483 yards. However, after shaving his Mohawk and changing his mentality, he had a breakout game in a losing effort against the San Diego Chargers. Ocho Cinco accumulated 260 receiving yards and scored two touchdowns, which broke the previous Bengals record for most receiving yards in a game. [cite web|url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2006/football/nfl/11/12/chargers.bengals.ap/index.html|title=Old-fashioned shootout|accessdate=2006-11-12] . 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, he 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.

Ocho Cinco 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, Ocho Cinco is also one of the most popular ones. In the fan voting for the 2006 Pro Bowl, he finished first in votes for wide receivers, and fourth overall with 987,650 total votes. [cite web|url=http://www.nfl.com/probowl/balloting_final|title=Record 70.5 million All-Star votes cast|accessdate=2006-08-15] He has earned nationwide attention for his 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. [cite web|url=http://msn.foxsports.com/other/story/5872400|title=Top 10 showboats in sports|accessdate=2006-09-08|last=Golokhov|first=Dave|date=2006-08-15|language=English] Furthermore, Ocho Cinco 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 2007 season due to off-field issues, Ocho Cinco 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".

2007

In the first game of the season, on Monday Night Football against the Baltimore Ravens, Ocho Cinco scored the game's first score on a 39-yard touchdown pass from Carson Palmer. Following the touchdown, he grabbed a jacket that resembles the Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees' jacket that said, "Future H.o.F 20??". Ocho Cinco finished the game with 5 receptions for 95 yards and a touchdown. In the next game against the Cleveland Browns, he 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, Ocho Cinco totaled nine receptions for 138 yards as the Bengals lost again. Against the New York Jets, in which the Bengals won 38-31, he 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, Ocho Cinco was rolled off the field on a stretcher, with a reported head injury. He 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. Ocho Cinco was reported to be moving at the hospital. [ [http://www.wlwt.com/news/14508082/detail.html Bengals' Chad Johnson Injured, Leaves Game On Stretcher - Cincinnati News Story - WLWT Cincinnati ] ] He finished the game with three catches for 48 yards. A CT scan performed to detect nerve damage came back negative, and he did not miss any games due to the injury.

Over his next two games, Ocho Cinco did not 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, Ocho Cinco 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. Ocho Cinco 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 he had finished a season with a new Bengals record for receiving yards. His yardage was third most in the NFL, his receptions were 12th most, and his touchdowns were tied for 15th most in the league. However, he was passed up on for the 2008 Pro Bowl team, which instead selected his teammate T.J. Houshmandzadeh.

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

2008

On January 13, 2008, Ocho Cinco was a guest on ESPN's Mike & Mike radio show. During the interview, he addressed 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." However, head coach Marvin Lewis commented on the issue by saying that the Bengals will not be trading Ocho Cinco. "He is a Cincinnati Bengal for quite a while." Lewis said. [ [http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/playerbreakingnews.asp?sport=NFL&id=2544&line=111562&spln=1 Fantasy Football Breaking News - Rotoworld.com ] ]

On February 4, 2008, Ocho Cinco was selected as the replacement for Patriots' receiver Randy Moss in the 2008 Pro Bowl. The selection marked his fifth consecutive Pro Bowl selection. Ocho Cinco and teammate T.J. Houshmandzadeh were both selections, marking the first time a pair of Bengals receivers have made the Pro Bowl in the same year. [ [http://canadianpress.google.com/article/ALeqM5giim0prZzYZ_2FYX0Uvyz_nT6HdQ The Canadian Press: Cincinnati Bengals WR Chad Johnson heading to fifth Pro Bowl ] ]

Also on February 4th, Ocho Cinco's agent, Drew Rosenhaus, stated that Ocho Cincowill 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 Ocho Cinco felt betrayed by Marvin Lewis and was privately threatening to sit out the 2008 season. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3229722 ESPN - Rosenhaus says Ocho Cinco will play in '08, but won't say if it's with Cincinnati - NFL ] ]

On February 14, 2008, Marvin Lewis announced that the Bengals have never discussed trading Ocho Cinco and will not unless the right deal is there. Reports stated that Ocho Cinco has been looking for a deal with the Washington Redskins. Lewis also stated that he has not spoken to Ocho Cinco since the last regular season game, yet when asked about the trade rumors, Chad said "Call me, Dan," referring to Redskins' owner Daniel Snyder. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3245503 ESPN - Lewis says it again: Chad Johnson isn't going anywhere - NFL ] ] On April 22, the Cincinnati Bengals' declined a Washington Redskins' trade for Ocho Cinco involving a first round 2008 NFL Draft selection and a 2009 NFL Draft selection. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3358557 ESPN - Skins offer '08 first-rounder, '09 pick for Johnson; Cincy says no - NFL ] ]

On NFL Network's NFL Total Access, Ocho Cinco said he did not want a pay raise from the Bengals, but rather a "change of scenery". [ [http://www.rotoworld.com/content/playerpages/playerbreakingnews.asp?sport=NFL&id=2544&line=114259&spln=1 Fantasy Football Breaking News - Rotoworld.com ] ] Ocho Cinco then refused to speak to reporters and missed the offseason workout programs and practices. [ [http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/5659285.html McClain: NFL hair length seems hardly worth fuss | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle ] ] On April 16, Ocho Cinco announced he wanted to be traded before the 2008 NFL Draft or as soon as possible afterwards. Ocho Cinco also said he would not attend any Bengals' functions, mandatory or voluntary, despite what quarterback Carson Palmer said about Ocho Cinco reporting to the team's mini-camp. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3349761 "Johnson says he won't attend team functions, demands trade" by John Clayton, ESPN - April 16, 2008] ] The next day, April 17, teammate T.J. Houshmandzadeh told ESPN that it would be best for the Bengals to trade Ocho Cinco. "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. [ [http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3351518 "Houshmandzadeh: It will be problem for Bengals if Johnson not dealt" - ESPN, April 17, 2008] ]

On June 3, nine days before the opening of the Bengals' mandatory minicamp on June 12, Ocho Cinco told ESPN The Magazine that he would be returning to the Bengals for the camp, saying "Am I coming back? Of course I am". [ [http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/8205586/Report:-Johnson-says-he'll-return-to-Bengals FOX Sports on MSN - NFL - Report: Johnson says he'll return to Bengals ] ] Ocho Cinco's agent Drew Rosenhaus, confirmed reports that Ocho Cinco will indeed show up to training camp and honor his contract. [ [http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080615/SPT02/806150435/1062/SPT The roster rundown] ] On August 5, Ocho Cinco returned to practice after his ankle surgery on June 18. [ [http://www.sportsnetwork.com/merge/tsnform.aspx?c=sportsnetwork&page=nfl/news/newstest.aspx?id=4169542 The Sports Network - National Football League ] ]

In the Bengals' August 17 pre-season game against the Detroit Lions, Ocho Cinco suffered an injury to his left shoulder and did not return. Initial reports were that it was a mild separation, which was later echoed by Marvin Lewis: "We'll be able to treat it conservatively, and he'll have to get his strength back in it. It came out and went right back in on the field." [ [http://news.cincinnati.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080818/SPT02/808180425/1062/spt Chad suffers sprained shoulder] ] A later examination revealed that he had actually suffered a partial tear to the labrum. However, he plans to play the entire season and stated that he had spoken with the Cleveland Browns' Kellen Winslow, Jr. and Donte Stallworth and the Philadelphia Eagles' Brian Westbrook, all of whom have played with a similar condition. Ocho Cinco stated that "I'm lifting my normal weight. I do everything normal now. Everything. It's been what? Eight days? I'm back to normal." [ [http://nationalpost.pa-sportsticker.com/default.aspx?s=nfl-news-display&nid=A93688031219703955A Chad Johnson has partially torn labrum] ]

Bengals franchise records

Ocho Cinco holds the following records in the Bengals organization:
*Most receiving yards in a season (1,440)
*Most receiving yards all-time
*Most receiving touchdowns (49)
*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)

"The List"

During the 2005 NFL season, Ocho Cinco 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 Ocho Cinco’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 Ocho Cinco’s performance both on and off the field.cite web|url=http://www.bengals.com/news/news.asp?story_id=4787|title=Notes: Ravens at top of Chad's list|accessdate=2006-09-08|last=Hobson|first=Geoff|date=2005-11-02|language=English] According to the Bengals' official website, the list was aimed to galvanize the Baltimore Ravens, whom the Bengals would play in four days. Ocho Cinco was not pleased with the new list, as he had developed a superstitious faith in the older list. He had a stellar performance during the game, prompting the return of the original list.

In 2007, Degree and Yahoo! created an online version of his checklist.cite news | first=Patrick | last=McManamon | coauthors= | title= Frye trade just doesn't up | date=2007-09-15 | publisher=Ohio.com | url =http://www.ohio.com/sports/browns/9804987.html?page=3&c=y | work = | pages =3 | accessdate = 2007-09-22 | language = ] The checklist allows fans to vote for which NFL quarterback Ocho Cinco would like to play catch with the most. Every vote helps him raise money for his charity project,"Feed the Children".

Name change

On October 25, 2006, in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, when his last name was still Johnson, he announced that he would prefer to be called "Ocho Cinco" ("8-5" in Spanish). During warm-ups for the October 29, 2006 game against the Atlanta Falcons, the back of his jersey read "Ocho Cinco" instead of "C. Johnson". Quarterback Carson Palmer ripped the label off the jersey to reveal the usual "C. Johnson". [cite web|url=http://www.bengals.com/news/news.asp?story_id=5617|accessdate=2006-10-26|title= Notes: Chad's Old English; Hall's New Deal |last=HOBSON|date=2006-10-25|language=English] According to ESPN, Ocho Cinco was fined US$5,000 for the stunt (pending appeal) despite the fact that Ocho Cinco did not wear the "Ocho Cinco" name tag during the game. [cite web|url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2647613|accessdate=2006-11-02|title=Chad Johnson to cough up $5K for 'Ocho Cinco' stunt|last=Pasquarelli|date=2006-11-02|language=English]

He legally changed his name to Chad Javon Ocho Cinco on August 29, 2008. The Cincinnati Bengals decided to allow him to have it on the back of his jersey, [cite web| url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3569580| title=Bengals putting Ocho Cinco on No. 85 jersey| publisher=ESPN| date=2008-09-04| accessdate=2008-09-07] though he still wore a "C. Johnson" jersey due to financial obligations with Reebok [cite web| url=http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3574151| title='Financial obligation remains' before Ocho Cinco on jersey| publisher=ESPN| date=2008-09-07| accessdate=2008-09-07] and not receiving permission from the NFL. [cite web| url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hGo5dk1UtBJDC0sicPpi-v8fIDvAD9326AO81| title=For now, Bengals' Johnson can't wear Ocho Cinco| publisher=Associated Press| date=2008-09-08| accessdate=2008-09-10]

In the media

Ocho Cinco 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. [cite web|url=http://ps2.ign.com/articles/727/727985p1.html|title=Chad Johnson Covers NFL Street 3|accessdate=2006-09-11|last=Adams|first=David|date=2006-08-24|language=English]

Personal

Ocho Cinco is a cousin of former NFL wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson and current NFL cornerback Samari Rolle. [cite web|url=http://www.chadjohnson85.com/bio.php|title=Personal Bio|accessdate=2008-02-04]

Ocho Cinco has four children: Jicyra, Chad Johnson II, Chade and Chaiel. [cite web|url=http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2008/0905081ocho2.html|title=A Bengal changes his stripes|accessdate=2008-09-07]

On May 5, 2007, Ocho Cinco 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 Ocho Cinco (one to Europe; one to Hawaii), that Ocho Cinco never awarded. [ [http://pacers.aolsportsblog.com/2007/05/05/chad-Johnson-sued-for-bogus-raffle/ Chad Johnson Sued For Bogus Raffle - FanHouse - AOL Sports Blog ] ]

On June 9, 2007, Ocho Cinco raced a thoroughbred racehorse over a furlong (220 yards / 200 meters) for charity. Ocho Cinco, given a 110-yard (100 m) head start, beat the horse by twelve lengths. [cite web|url=http://www.bengals.com/news/news.asp?story_id=6091|title=Chad's a beast|publisher=www.bengals.com|accessdate=2008-08-29|last=Hobson|first=Geoff]

References

External links

* [http://www.chadjohnson85.com/ Official Website]
* [http://bengals.com/team/player.asp?player_id=8 Cincinnati Bengals bio]