Chad Johnson is a former National Football League wide receiver. The Miami native and Oregon State product was selected in the 2nd round of the 2001 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals and played 10 seasons there before his last one in 2011 with the New England Patriots. Johnson’s illustrious NFL career featured 6 Pro Bowls and 2x First-team All-Pro honors. Johnson briefly yet famously changed his name to Chad Ochocinco in honor of Hispanic Heritage Month in 2006. In 2011, CNBC listed Johnson as #1 on their list of “Most Influential Athletes on Social Media,” and after retiring from the NFL, Johnson’s charisma and unique ability to engage the public has kept him in the spotlight.
Johnson is a brand ambassador for EA and streams himself gaming on Twitch. He’s a renowned FIFA player and a massive soccer fan in general. In fact, in 2019, Johnson had a semi-professional stint on the soccer field, and that’s not the only new sport he’s tried recently. In 2021, Johnson ventured into the boxing ring, making his debut in a four-round exhibition match. Since the final years of his NFL career, Johnson has also dabbled in acting and television, including a 2010 appearance on Dancing with the Stars. Johnson even has his own app, “Mad Chad,” an iPhone game designed for children. Now Chad is the ambassador and consultant for the Florida A&M Athletics Department. 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. He has become a very prominent speaker in this regard, and his words have inspired and influenced younger generations of athletes to follow in his footsteps. An exceptional athlete, Johnson has remained an exciting, entertaining, and popular figure in his life after football
The first thing about Chad is that he's pretty honest. He goes into detail about his journey through football, as well as the path he took to where he wanted to go. It certainly wasn't conventional, but it was the way he took, and thanks to some luck, supportive people, and the drive to get to where he wanted to be, he made it, and has thrived in the NFL. He's honest about his issues with the Bengals (past and present), and when it comes to him, he truly wants to win. A theme that may be underrated is that people should have fun, and do what they enjoy doing. He's a football player, but not only that, he loves life, he works hard at his craft, and loves to have fun while doing his job. You'll see that as a continuous theme; people should love what they do every day, and have a blast while doing it. The dude just loves life and lives it to the fullest. He doesn't come across as a fraud, or self-serving, which is not easy to do when you're telling your own story. I will say that he's authentic, in the sense that you feel like you're having a conversation with him, and it can sometimes jump from topic-to-topic with no warning, but if you don't let it deter you, then it's all good. But as it is with the dude, there's nothing conventional about him, except that he loves to live and have fun.
The first thing about Chad is that he's pretty honest. He goes into detail about his journey through football, as well as the path he took to where he wanted to go. It certainly wasn't conventional, b...