Bengals: Hilarious Chad Johnson, Marvin Lewis story resurfaces

The Chad Johnson era brought countless memories to the Bengals franchise and one of the more memorable stories from his tenure has resurfaced.

It’s no secret that it has been a tough year for fans of the Cincinnati Bengals. With just two victories notched into the win column, the loss of Joe Burrow, and general team dysfunction, there hasn’t been much to put a smile on the faces of the orange and black faithful. However, WhoDey Nation can always rely on all-time great Chad Johnson to bring some positivity.

The Ochocinco era brought numerous memorable moments, and they seemingly happened every week. From legendary touchdown celebrations, to jaw-dropping trash talk, to astounding performances, No. 85 always kept audiences tuned in.

While it almost seems impossible that the lore of Johnson can continue to grow this far beyond his playing days, behind-the-scenes stories continue to pop up, providing a look beyond what the public was exposed to on Sundays. This time, the tale involves former head coach and offensive coordinator, Marvin Lewis and Hue Jackson.

"“You know, I used to call him [Hue Jackson] and Marvin [Lewis] in the middle of the night… ‘yo, coach… I’m open.’ and hang up.” via @IAMATHLETEpod"

That’s dedication. I’m sure the coaches weren’t too happy about Johnson’s antics in the moment, but looking back now, it’s undeniably hilarious.

Other Chad Johnson stories are circulating too

If Ochocinco calling his coaches at two in the morning weren’t enough to convince you of his love for the game, a recent story from former quarterback Jon Kitna will.

The story revolves around a game against the Indianapolis Colts in Johnson’s second year, a contest where Kitna estimates his stellar wideout had 180 receiving yards and two touchdowns. Down one touchdown and driving, Kitna targetted Johnson but the ball bounced off him and was intercepted, sealing defeat.

Back in the locker room, Kitna recalls Johnson crying uncontrollably. He explained his error was due to exhaustion. From that point on, he took every practice rep, including the scout team, to work on his conditioning. It certainly seemed to work, as Ochocinco went on to arguably piece together a career worthy of the Hall of Fame.

There has been a lot of disappointment surrounding the Cincinnati Bengals franchise, especially in the past few years, but hearing the stories of Chad Johnson in stripes always seems to take some of the sting away.