Surprise, surprise
Unemployed receiver Chad Johnson reaches out to Texans Andre Johnson, attendsgame
Chad Johnson showed up to watch a Houston Texans game.
Andre Johnson thought Chad Johnson was kidding when he told him he'd beattending the game.Photo by © Michelle Watson/CultureMapSNAP.com
Former all-pro wide receiver Chad Johnson — aka Ochocinco — quietly attended the Houston Texans' last game.
Johnson sat in the stands and watched the Texans lose to the Green Bay Packers 42-24 on Sunday Night Football as no Houston wideout besides Andre Johnson caught more than two passes. Of course, the controversial Johnson (no relation to Andre) has been desperately seeking an NFL job since the Miami Dolphins cut him the day after he head butted his wife — with his dismissal captured on HBO's Hard Knocks for all of America to see.
"It just so happened he was in town, and he called me and said he was going to come to the game," Andre Johnson says. "I thought he was playing."
But this was no joke. Chad Johnson showed and he was brought into the inner sanctum of the Texans' family room due to his close connection with Andre Johnson (both players grew up in Miami and knew each other long before they made the NFL).
"It just so happened he was in town, and he called me and said he was going to come to the game," Andre Johnson says. "I thought he was playing."
"After the game was over, he was down in the family room, and I had a chance to sit down and talk with him for a bit," Andre Johnson says. "I got a chance to talk to him earlier that day too. He’s a good friend from back home.”
Chad Johnson got to see his buddy Andre surpass 10,000 career receiving yards and become the 38th player in NFL history to reach that milestone, but he also received a close look at how the Texans offense still lacks an top-notch No. 2 receiver to complement No. 80.
Now it's hard to imagine conservative Texans owner Bob McNair and general manager Rick Smith — who both immensely value the team-first attitude the Texans have built — making a play for Chad Johnson. And the 34-year-old wasn't exactly wowing the Dolphins even before he ran into legal trouble (drops plagued him in camp). But if any locker room could handle Chad Johnson, it's probably one with his buddy Andre Johnson in it.
"I don't know," Andre Johnson chuckles when asked what his friend is planning next.
Texans rookie receiver Keshawn Martin — who has emerged as the third wideout behind Andre Johnson (25 catches for 358 yards and two touchdowns) and Kevin Walter (15 catches for 205 yards and a touchdown) — isn't caught up in any Chad Johnson sightings.
He's just focused on getting better.
"(Quarterback) Matt (Schaub) is great at getting the ball to the open man," Martin tells CultureMap. "If you get open, he'll get you the ball.
"It's on me to get open more."
No matter what Ghosts of NFL Past are hanging around.
