The NFL has always had larger-than-life quarterbacks, hard-as-nails linebackers and stocky, swift-footed running backs. But over the last decade, Terrell Owens and Chad Ochocinco have helped make wide receiver the flashiest position on the field. And now they’re paired together. Heaven help us. In sort-of chronological order, here’s how we got here:
10. Oct. 2000: Stomping on the star
The leading receiver of the San Francisco 49ers, Terrell Owens decided to celebrate scoring two touchdowns at Texas Stadium by running from the end zone to the 50-yard line and posing on the Dallas Cowboys star logo after each one. Of course, when he did it the second time, he got blindsided by the Cowboys’ George Teague.
9. Oct. 2002, Dec. 2002: Pens and pom-poms
During a Monday Night Football game at home against Seattle, Owens pulled a Sharpie out of his sock after scoring a touchdown, signed the ball and gave it to his financial adviser in the stands — without getting fined. The league much preferred when he grabbed a cheerleader’s pom-poms a couple of months later.
8. Dec. 2003: Chad’s poster plea
Then-called Chad Johnson had the perfect cap on a season in which had accumulated some $60,000 in fines. After scoring a touchdown, the Cincinnati Bengals star grabbed a sign he had hidden in a snow drift at Paul Brown Stadium that said, “Dear NFL, please don’t fine me again!!!!!”
7. Aug. 2005: Fun on the front lawn
It’s all good fun when touchdown celebrations go over the line, but Owens wasn’t exactly behaving nicely off the field either. When a threatened hold out and a bad attitude got him kicked out of Philadelphia Eagles training camp for a week, Owens decided to hold court for fans and press alike in front of his home. At one point he did shirtless sit-ups in front of the media on his driveway. The season ended with Owens suspended.
6. Nov. 2005: The fine was a gimme
Johnson wasn’t nearly done getting fined either, that’s for sure. This time it was for a putt of the football with an end zone pylon after a touchdown. That’ll be $5,000, please. Johnson had promised a different celebration for every week of the season — including the Riverdance against Chicago. He also had a checklist entitled “Who Covered 85 in ’05?” to keep track of defensive backs he played against.
5. Oct. 2006: Se habla name change
It has been nearly four years since “Ocho Cinco” — Spanish for “Eight Five” was introduced when Johnson had it placed on top of his real name during pregame warm-ups before playing Atlanta during Hispanic Heritage month. Carson Palmer ripped it off before the game — but Johnson still got fined. Two years later, Ochocinco became Johnson’s official last name — he accidentally wrote it as one word on the name-change application. Word is Ochocinco might soon become Hachi Go — meaning “eight five” in Japanese.
4. Aug. 2006, Sept. 2006: Owens’ rollercoaster
Cut by the Eagles only to be signed by the Cowboys immediately after, Owens is seen at training camp wearing a Lance Armstrong Discovery Channel team jersey while riding the stationary bicycle. No one is smiling the next month when Owens is taken by ambulance to Baylor University Medical Center for what a police document first calls an attempted suicide before deciding it was an accidental overdose of pain medication.
3. Oct. 2007, Nov. 2007: A facemask full
Ahead of a massive game against New England and Randy Moss, Owens didn’t speak to reporters, instead leaving a poster-sized note that said he would take questions after the game and “p.s. Getcha popcorn ready.” A month and a half later in a game against Green Bay, Owens celebrates a touchdown by taking a fan’s popcorn and dumping it into his helmet.
2. Aug. 2009: Chad knows futbol
Ochocinco, who has long maintained a host of sporting interests outside of football (he once raced against a horse) displayed his kicking prowess and proof of his love for soccer by knocking through a decisive extra point in a 7-6 preseason win over New England. “‘Esteban’ Ochocinco is back, the most interesting footballer in the world,” Ochocinco said. “Everyone has to remember, I’ve always said that soccer is my No. 1 sport. I think Ronaldinho would be proud of me right now.”
1. The entire 2009 season: Ochocinco in overdrive
After a contrived Lambeau Leap — into planted Bengals fans — Ochocinco found his comedic groove later in the year. He got dinged $20,000 for taking a dollar bill onto the field and pretending to bribe an official against Baltimore in November. In December, the NFL upped the fine to $30,000 when he donned a sombrero and poncho after a touchdown against Detroit. He said he set aside $100,000 for fines last year. With Owens by his side, there’s no chance that’s enough in 2010.
