Athletes - Chad Johnson

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	Athletes - Chad Johnson

For Chad Johnson, political activist, attorney and businessman, see Chad S. Johnson.

Chad Johnson (born January 9, 1978 in Miami, Florida) is an American football player who plays wide receiver for the National Football League's Cincinnati Bengals. He was drafted out of Oregon State by the Bengals with the fifth pick in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He was a teammate of current Bengals wide receiver T.J. Houshmandzadeh while at Oregon State. He is also the cousin of Carolina Panthers wide receiver Keyshawn Johnson and Baltimore Ravens cornerback Samari Rolle.

Johnson is known for his flamboyant playing style and trash talking, which have led to numerous fines being levied against him. He is also known for having a checklist of opposing cornerbacks and judging them on whether they were able to cover him in their matchup. He will only give an opponent a checkmark if they play him in one-on-one man coverage, but they must only beat him on a single play. Johnson has admitted it is more of a self-motivation tool. No opposing players or coaches have publically taken offense to the list as of yet.

Before a game on November 6, 2005, Johnson had created a new list specifically for that game's opponent (the Baltimore Ravens). Before he could show it to the media, though, it was replaced by a list created by head coach Marvin Lewis which asked:

Did 85 do everything he could to lead his Team to Victory?
Did he study extra tape?
Zero mental errors in practice?
Make a teammate better?
See all "sights" and "hots" (blitzes)?
Did he run after the catch?
Did he finish his blocking?

These new questions delved deeper into the responsibilities of an NFL receiver, reminding Johnson that there is more to his job than simply getting open on the field and catching the football. His original list for that week was posted in his locker in Baltimore when he arrived at the stadium. Johnson took Lewis' list to heart and performed well during the game, gaining 91 yards on 5 catches, mostly against double coverage schemes. Since then his first "85 in 2005" list returned to its normal spot.

He was named to the Pro Bowl in 2003, 2004, and 2005, and has amassed over 1,100 receiving yards in four of his first five seasons. In 2003, he set a Bengals record with 1,355 receiving yards, and later surpassed it in the 2005 season, recording 1,432 yards.

The Pepto Bismol incident

In 2003, Johnson guaranteed a win over the previously unbeaten Kansas City Chiefs — a promise which he helped realize. However, one antic which backfired was the infamous Pepto Bismol incident. Before the Bengals' October 17, 2004 meeting against their in-state rivals, the Cleveland Browns, Johnson sent the Browns' starting defensive backs: cornerbacks Daylon McCutcheon and Anthony Henry and safeties Robert Griffith and Earl Little each a bottle of the pink stuff, which is marketed by the Cincinnati-based Procter & Gamble. Johnson's intent was to say that he was going to make them sick. Johnson claimed that it was not meant personally. "It's a little something to add some flavor to the game... it's nothing personal and I know they didn't take it that way."

Rather than be angry, Daylon McCutcheon put the incident off as Chad Johnson simply being Chad Johnson. As he told the Associated Press, "I think for the most part, (Johnson) is not an in-your-face guy. He just likes to have fun. He enjoys playing football. He's a jokester."

The Browns held Johnson to just three receptions and no touchdowns, and won the game 34-17.

Chad's riddle

Chad Johnson has a riddle for every team's defense that he goes up against. He always asks the same question, which is, "How do you stop 85?" (since his jersey number is 85 and occasionally, he manages to out-do defenders and catch touchdown passes).

On December 11, 2005, Johnson was held to just 22 yards on only 2 catches in a win over the Cleveland Browns, one of his worst performances stat-wise in his career. He therefore gave the Browns secondary multiple "Yes" checkmarks, the first of the season.

Examples of Johnson's celebrations and quotes

Geico quote

Before a game against the Green Bay Packers, Johnson spoke about his upcoming matchup with Packers defensive back Al Harris. Johnson joked, "Well, the bad news for him is that he has to cover me this Sunday. The good news is that he can save up to ten percent by switching to Geico." This was actually a misquote of Geico's slogan, which is "save up to fifteen percent on your car insurance by switching to Geico." No one, including Harris, took offense to the comment and accepted it as a joke.

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Athletes - Chad Johnson

The Pepto Bismol incident

Chad's riddle

Examples of Johnson's celebrations and quotes

Geico quote

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