Chad Ochocinco is one of the NFL’s most dominant wide receivers and Bengal’s all-time reception leader.
Drafted by Cincinnati Bengals in the second round as the 36th pick, Chad played for several NFL teams, including the Bengals, New England Patriots, and Miami Dolphins.
The player is the first Bengal in NFL history to lead the league in receiving yards and has several awards in his career.
To name a few, Chad is six times pro bowl, three times first-team all-pro, and NFL receiving yards, leader. He was also listed number 1 on the CNBC list of Most influential Athletes in Social Media.
The wide receiver also has played in Canadian League and Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional before officially retiring in 2017.
Let’s dig into the life of Chad Ochocinco and uncover his personal as well as professional life and how he became one of the most prolific wide receivers in the NFL.
But, before that, let’s know him briefly through his quick facts.
Quick Facts
| Full Name | Chad Ochocinco Johnson |
| Name | Chad Ochocinco |
| Birth Name | Chad Javon Johnson |
| Nick Name | Ocho Cinco, Hachi Go |
| Date of Birth | January 9, 1978 |
| Age | 46 years old |
| Birth Place | Miami, Florida |
| Nationality | American |
| Ethnicity | African -American |
| Zodiac Sign | Capricon |
| Height | 6 feet 1 inch (1.85 m) |
| Weight | 192 lb (87 kg) |
| Hair Color | Not available |
| Eye Color | Dark Brown |
| Body type | Athletic |
| Father’s Name | Sam Brown |
| Mother’s Name | Paula Johnson |
| Siblings | 2 sisters and 1 brother; Syleena Johnson, Chinita Johnson, Sam Brown Jr. (Brother) |
| High School | Miami Beach Senior High School |
| Education | Graduate |
| University |
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| Marital Status | Engaged |
| Fiancee | Sharelle Rosado |
| Ex-Wife | Evelyn Lozada |
| Children | Nine |
| Profession | Former NFL Player |
| Position | Wide receiver |
| Leagues |
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| NFL Draft | 36th overall pick in the second round of 2001 NFL Draft by Cincinnati Bengals |
| Debut Year | 2001 |
| Retirement | 2017 |
| Playing Teams |
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| Awards and achievements |
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| Net Worth | $15 million |
| Social Media | Instagram, Facebook, Twitter |
| Merch | Ocho Cinco: What Football and Life Have Thrown My Way (Kindle) |
| Last Update | April 2024 |
Chad Ochocinco | Early Life
On January 9, 1978, Chad Javon Johnson was born in Miami, Florida. He was born to his father, Sam Brown, and mother, Paula Johnson.
Johnson also has two sisters; Syleena Johnson and Chinita Johnson, and a brother; Sam Brown Jr. When Chad was five years old, his mother left him at grandma’s house.
Thus, Chad was raised by his grandma and had little interaction with her mother. Chad’s father, Sam, was almost non-existent in his life.
His father was jailed for twenty years for selling drugs. When his father was released from jail, Johnson was already an NFL star, but he did not hesitate to meet with his father.
But unfortunately, his father passed away in 2012 from cancer. Despite the short moment spent with his dad, Chad was grateful he could meet him.
Chad’s mother also passed away in 2021.
Chad Ochocinco | Amateur Days
Johnson attended Langston University after graduating from Miami Beach Senior High School in 1997.
He enrolled in Santa Monica College in Santa Monica, California, in 1997. Three years later, Johnson moved to Oregon State University after being extensively recruited to play for the Beavers.
Johnson has set a school record for the longest touchdown reception with a 97-yard touchdown reception.
Chad Ochocinco | Name Change
Johnson had several name changes during his NFL career. In 2006, Johnson said he wanted to be known as “Ocho Cinco.” It meant “eight five,” in Spanish, his jersey number.
Thus, he legally changed his name to Chad Javon Ochocinco two years later. However, a year later, Ochocinco revealed that he would officially change his last name to “Hachi Go.”
Hachi Go translates to 8 and 5 in Japanese, the same as Ocho Cinco in Spanish. However, he did not legally change the name.
On January 25, 2011, Ochocinco revealed to an ESPN reporter that he would revert to his maiden name of Johnson.
However, later, he announced that he would maintain his name of Chad Ochocinco and not return to Johnson due to financial concerns.
After joining the Miami Dolphins, Ochocinco officially changed his name to Chad Johnson at a Broward County courthouse on July 23, 2012, because he wanted to reconnect with his previous self.
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Chad Ochocinco | Professional Career
NFL Draft & Beginning
The Cincinnati Bengals selected Johnson with the 36th overall pick in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft.
Johnson got little action as a rookie. However, he quickly became one of the valuable players on the team.
Chad was chosen to the Pro Bowl five times and led the AFC in receiving yards for four straight seasons.
Unfortunately, Johnson saw limited action after being sidelined by an early injury, and his performance plummeted.
The History Maker & Peak Career
Johnson came back stronger after recovering from the injury.
Johnson and his teammate, Houshmandzadeh, made history by being the first Bengals teammates to have over 1,000 receiving yards in a single season.
Johnson was not only one of the most prolific receivers in the NFL, but he was also one of the most popular in Pro Bowl voting.
He received the most votes for wide receivers in the 2006 game’s fan poll. Johnson topped a list of the top ten showboats in professional sports released by Fox Sports.
The Downfall
On July 28, 2011, Johnson was traded to the New England Patriots from the Cincinnati Bengals. However, it was his least productive season statistically in his career.
After apparently attending his father’s funeral, he was inactive for the AFC Championship game. The Patriots later waived Johnson on June 7, 2012.
He signed with the Miami Dolphins on June 11, 2012, and played for two years.
Other Leagues
Johnson then went to play international and signed a two-year contract with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League.
Johnson played in five regular-season games during the 2014 CFL season. However, he was inactive in most games mainly due to persistent ailments.
In addition, he missed two playoff games due to a personal family problem in Florida. Furthermore, the Alouettes suspended Johnson in 2015 after he failed to report for mandatory training camp. He was exiled for the entire 2015 CFL season.
After the season, Johnson was not re-signed by the Alouettes and became a free agent on February 9, 2016.
He briefly played for Liga de Fútbol Americano Profesional de México in 2017 before officially retiring as football player.
Chad Ochocinco | Awards & Achievements
- AFC Champion (2011)
- Six times Pro Bowl selection (2003- 2007, 2009)
- Four times All-Pro selection (2003 -2006)
- NFL receiving yards leader (2006)
- 10,000 Receiving Yards Club
- Listed 1 in CNBC list of Most influential Athletes.
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Chad Ochocinco | Off The court
Aside from his NFL career, Chad is also involved in game development, acting, reality programs, and other pursuits.
Johnson and RockLive collaborated on the iPhone game Mad Chad, launched on November 18, 2010. It was a widely downloaded software in 2010 and was highlighted on iTunes.
Johnson was named a Dancing with the Stars participant for the tenth season on March 1, 2010. He was teamed with Cheryl Burke, a two-time winner, but they were defeated in the semifinals.
Johnson had his reality television dating program on VH1 called Ochocinco: The Ultimate Catch.
In June 2011, Ochocinco shot a cameo part in the 2012 film American Reunion in which he played himself. He also had other cameos in the TV show The Game and The League.
He played a past captain of the BMS Goats in season 3 of the TV show Blue Mountain State.
Furthermore, he has been featured on the EA Sports’ NFL Street 3 video game cover from 2006. He is the game’s main villain, and he, along with Clinton Portis and Byron Leftwich, narrates the tutorials.
Chad Ochocinco | Relationship & Marriage
Chad Ochocinco was previously engaged to Maya, his ex-fiancee. Maya and Chad were engaged in 2008, but they parted ways in 2010.
Similarly, Chad Ochocinco’s love life took a change in 2012 when he began dating Evelyn Lozada, an American television personality.
Evelyn was not only his lover, but she became Chad’s wife after the two married in 2012.
But, they divorced after 41 days of marriage as Chad was found guilty of domestic violence. This had a significant impact on his image and career as a whole.
It seemed Chad wouldn’t find anyone new, but love finds you in the most challenging times.
Chad is in a long-term relationship with his current girlfriend, Sharelle Rosado, after several breakups and ups and downs in his love life.
Sharelle Rosado is a member of the cast of Selling Tampa. They started dating in 2020 and got engaged recently.
Despite their public appearances, Sharelle Rosado and Chad Ochocinco’s relationship has confused many people, especially since Chad was jailed for domestic abuse against his ex-wife.
As a result, many were concerned about Sharelle, and they even questioned Rosado about the situation.
Sharelle clarified everyone’s fears by saying that everyone makes mistakes and cannot comment on the situation because she was not present at that moment.
She added that Chad has also been a tremendous help to her, so she took the decision.
Legal Trouble
Chad signed up a petition of no contest to misdemeanor domestic battery, abandoning jail time in agreement with prosecutors and Lozada on September 12, 2012.
On May 7, 2013, a warrant was issued as Chad broke the terms and conditions of his probation. He also failed to meet with a probation specialist and show proof of enrollment and completion of the ‘Batterers Intervention Program’.
Chad turned himself in at the courthouse and was later released after placing a $1000 bond. After 20 days, he was sentenced to 30 days in jail for disrupting his probation.
Judge Kathleen McHugh rejected a no jail time plea deal after Chad sportively slapped his male attorney on the buttocks. As per the judge, Chad was humorous even after he apologized.
For the mysterious act, his probation got extended to three months, and he was asked to perform 24 hours of community service and go through two counseling classes per week.
Chad Ochocinco | Children
In 2022, Chad welcomed his new baby, Serenity ‘Hurricane Paula with Sharelle. After the latest member, Chad currently has reportedly eleven children.
His fiancee, Sharelle, has three other children from her prior relationship, and Johnson has seven children.
Though, Johnson has kept his children low-key from the media. It is known that some of his children, like their father, are athletics.
His son, Chad Johnson II, a wide receiver at Arizona State University, follows in his father’s footsteps.
One of his daughters set a new US record in the 800-meter event at the AAU Track and Field National Club Championships.
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Chad Ochocinco | Net Worth
The net worth of Chad Johnson is estimated to be $15 million. He earned his net worth from his primary career as an NFL player.
Chad signed his rookie contract with Cincinnati Bengals for $ 3,091,500 for four years. He later re-signed five years contract for $27,103,250.
His highest-paid year was 2006 when he made almost $11.5 million with the Bengals. Thus, Chad made millions from his NFL career.
Apart from this, Chad also made good fortunes out of endorsement and investments. He had endorsement deals with well-known brands, including GoDaddy, Reebok, and Wonderful Pistachio.
Social Media Presence
Chad did not only earn millions of fortunes out of his NFL career but millions of fan following and supporters as well.
His fame can be equally seen on his social media, where he has millions of followers on every social media platform.
Chad is very active on his social media and shares his life events, views and opinions there. Chad’s social media platforms are like a bridge for his fans to connect to his life.
Thus, if you want to connect to Chad’s life and get updated about his professional and personal life, then make sure to follow him on his social media.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS)
Will Chad Ochocinco be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame?
Chad Johnson is one of six modern-era players who have been nominated for induction into the NFL Hall of Fame in 2022.
However, people believe that despite his stellar career, his image after he was arrested for domestic violence can be a big hurdle to being inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame.
What are the overall NFL statistics for Chad Ochocinco?
In his 11 year NFL career, Johnson played 167 games which he started 135 games. Also, he garnered 766 catches for 11,059 yards and 67 touchdowns.
