An iconic American celebrity athlete stood out while running drills in an Alouettes tryout, as Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson, 36, worked out in front of coaches Tuesday in hopes of earning a job with the team.
The longtime star NFL receiver was at the open tryouts in Florida in a quest to fill a void created by the release of veteran Arland Bruce, let go after making controversial statements for which he later apologized.
One expert onlooker expressed skepticism about the possibility Johnson lighting it up for the Alouettes.
CFL journalist Jack Bedell notes that the Als’ past attempts at recruiting big American veteran talent have not gone well.
“Whether it has been Quincy Carter, Ahman Green, or Charles Rogers, these players have come through with some fanfare but little, if any, impact,” Bedell told CTV Montreal.
There’s a chance, however, that Johnson could be one of Jim Popp’s success stories.
“Should the Als catch a rare combination of determination and desperation out of a seasoned pro like Johnson, it couldn't be anything but a positive for the team,” said Bedell, who notes that in the end it’s all about what one can do on the field. “Neither a long NFL career nor reality TV experience help gain separation from defensive backs at his age.”
Johnson, who has 3.6 million Twitter followers, was cheered by about a dozen onlookers chanting his name, some even wearing his old Cincinnati Bengals jersey, and a few in a New England Patriots version of his famous 85.
The one-time superstar would earn much less than he did when he played in the NFL, where he last appeared in a game in 2011.
The average CFL salary is about $90,000 and the team salary cap is about $4.4 million.
"I don't even need a cheque," Johnson told the Associated Press. "Didn't I give it all away for 12 years straight? Think about it. Did I ever care about money when I played throughout my career? Still don't. I want to have fun. I want to enjoy the game. That's it."
