4 most underappreciated players in Bengals history

3. Chad Johnson

Chad Johnson is more remembered for his on-the-field antics than his actual play. His ability is often overlooked because he drew more attention to himself with dances and changing names. His stats don’t lie as he posted five Pro Bowl selections, three All-Pro selections, and seven years with at least 1,000 yards in 10 years with the Bengals.

His elite route-running ability allowed him to be open more times than not and with the elite arm and ball placement of Carson Palmer he was able to capitalize on his abilities to make plays and score. He will go down as one of the most loud-mouthed receivers in history, which may overshadow his natural ability but he is without a doubt one of the best receivers in Bengals history.

Johnson cemented his place in Bengals history with the most receptions, yards, and touchdowns by a player in franchise history. He was a fantastic player for the Bengals who also had the misfortune of the team being so poor overall that his greatness goes vastly unnoticed.

Ochocinco will remain at the top of these categories for the foreseeable future as his skill level remained steady for seven years with the team while staying healthy. He was very much responsible for contributing to the team’s success during his time there as he did everything he could on his side of the ball to try and win games.

To Bengals fans, Chad Johnson will always remain underappreciated because as the team gets better and better he will continue to fall into the shadows. However, his impact as a player cannot be denied as his stats prove how great he was as an NFL receiver.