CHAD JOHNSON BIO

Chad Johnson makes his FOX Sports analyst debut on FIFA WORLD CUP TONIGHT this fall and winter for the network’s coverage of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™. An 11-year NFL veteran, Johnson was a six-time NFL Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro who left a legacy on the field. The Cincinnati Bengals selected Johnson with the 36th overall selection in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. Johnson had 751 catches for 10,783 yards and 66 touchdowns in his 10 seasons with the Bengals, records that still stand as the most in franchise history.

Johnson’s first opportunity to play organized soccer came in high school, but soccer season interfered with football, which he saw as a potential professional career. Once he made it to the NFL as a second-round pick, Johnson spent his off seasons traveling to Europe to watch his then-fellow Nike athletes, Cristiano Ronaldo and Thierry Henry, play soccer at the highest level, and he continued that tradition when he retired.

In 2011, Johnson – then known as Chad Ochocinco – participated in a four-day trial with Major League Soccer club Sporting Kansas City. He also played semi-professionally in his home state of Miami with Boca Raton FC. His passion for soccer has grown exponentially since then as both an avid fan and constant consumer of the beautiful game worldwide. Johnson also currently serves as an ambassador for EA Sports.