When it takes two All-Pro wideouts, one current, one retired, to try and figure out a single cornerback? You know he’s not your regular corner. And right now in the NFL, that guy is Pat Surtain. Yes, the 2024 Defensive Player of the Year is artfully manoeuvring his rivals to try and figure him out.

So when Ja’Marr Chase spent his offseason finding any edge he could against a guy who doesn’t give you much to work with? Let’s just say…he had to call in a few reinforcements. You need that extra something. And Chase? He went out and hunted for it.

That reinforcement? Chad “Ocho” Johnson. In a clip from The House Call Pod, you see Ochocinco out there on the field with Ja’Marr Chase and Jerry Jeudy in the Bengals legend’s camp, just casually dropping WR tips like it’s free merch. At one point, he looks at Chase and says, “If he just sitting there, just dip one away. You gotta put pressure on him.” This is so deceptively simple and yet game-changing. And it’s pure Ocho: don’t let Surtain play passive, let him chase, and then? Capitalize.

Ochocinco was out there putting on a clinic. Footwork, alignment, pace, the whole deal. He’s working with Chase, getting into the nitty-gritty of how to manipulate a DB like Surtain. It’s not just about running the route clean, it’s about setting a trap. Lean inside just enough to bait that aggressive press, then snap to the outside with purpose. Chad wants Chase to dictate the battle from a position of strength, not just play along.

And let’s just say, when he talks? You listen. No matter who you are. The man is a six-time Pro Bowler and four-time All-Pro. Over 11 seasons, he piled up 766 catches, 11,059 yards, and 67 touchdowns in 166 games. And get this: he averaged 14.4 yards per catch for his career. Early in his career, he all-time leader in catches (751), receiving yards (10,783), and touchdowns (66). And he didn’t just do it for a season or two; he cracked 1,000 yards seven times.

So yes, it’s safe to say, when Ocho talks? Chase needs to listen. He went head-to-head with Surtain twice last season and came away with 8 catches for 120 yards. Pretty decent. But with these words? It could swing the balance in Cincinnati’s favour this season. So, what would it really take to take on someone like Pat Surtain?

Why figuring him out is key for Chase

When you’re Ja’Marr Chase, getting past corners is a walk in the park. But when you face Pat Surtain? Not so much. Since entering the league in 2021, Pat has been a rock. In 2024, he racked 65 solo tackles, 12 passes defensed, and 4 picks, locking up ESPN’s Defensive Player of the Year honours. If you’re a high school football player watching him play every Sunday? You might not want to become a WR.

And Denver? They built their entire defence around him. And it paid off. In 2024, the Broncos were a defensive unit, ranking near the top in just about every major category: 18.3 points allowed per game, 4.9 yards per play, 63 sacks, and a nasty 37.4% pressure rate. And that dominance started in the secondary.

So yes. This is a player you’d want to study. Because figuring him out? Insanely difficult. Bringing in reinforcement would help, especially when that reinforcement is Ocho. Locking him up to a $100 million extension in 2024 was the smartest move the Broncos have made in a while.