Just when the NFL world thought Chad Johnson’s career was a closed chapter, the man himself turned his 48th birthday into a public job application for his old team, the Cincinnati Bengals. Fans thought he’d hung up his cleats for good, but this birthday brought a twist that reignited old Who Dey buzz.

“I love you guys & I’m open to coming back next year to play 🙏🏾 #whodey,” read the former receiver’s X post, responding to a birthday message from his former organization.

But before you get your hopes up, it’s important to remember that Johnson is already infamous for his playful stunts. Back in 2024, the retired player had drummed up a storm by claiming he got a job with the Las Vegas Raiders.

“Yes, I got a job with the Raiders,” Johnson initially said on Instagram Live. “Not as a staff member but as a member of the organization. I’m not sure what it is exactly, but I will be a part of the team, and that’s an amazing thing.”

Then head coach Antonio Pierce also engaged with Johnson’s second declaration post on X, practically confirming the rumors. However, when ESPN’s Paul Gutierrez caught up with Pierce to verify the legitimacy of the claims, the truth hilariously unfolded.

“Just having some fun on social media,” the journalist confirmed.

What’s more, on another occasion, Chad Johnson also claimed that he completed a tryout with the Raiders, which the team later denied. But that’s not all.

In January 2o20, the 6x Pro Bowler announced he had a tryout scheduled for XFL as a kicker. Why? Well, the player was hoping he could make his way back to the “53 man roster in the NFL”. Yet, just a week later, he informed the XFL that he had changed his mind.

So, looking at historical evidence, it’s safe to say that the 48-year-old will not be returning to the gridiron anytime soon.

Ocho was always known for his on-field theatrics with the ball and his larger-than-life words. But there’s something else he’s famous for that ties right back to his Bengals roots, and it says a lot about the man behind the headlines.

Chad Johnson’s confession on being “financially conscious”

In 2023, Ocho revealed he’d actually lived inside Paycor Stadium (back then known as Paul Brown Stadium). Recently, it again got pointed out on X, and Ocho explained his thoughts without missing a beat.

“Nobody in the world is better at being cheaper/financially conscious than me,” wrote Ocho on X.

It’s hard to imagine Ocho, with a reported net worth of $15 million, embracing that kind of thrifty life. But the wide receiver saw no sense in living outside when the facility had everything he needed right there.

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“I stayed at the stadium the first two years because I didn’t want to spend no money,” Chad Johnson told Shannon Sharpe in 2023. “What’s the point? Why are you telling me to go rent a house, go buy a house, or go rent a condo when everything I need is right here in the facility?”

That mindset still fits the Ocho fans remember. Long before his post-career frugality became folklore, Johnson built a reputation for doing things his own way, never fitting the league’s traditional mold. As for the unretirement chatter aimed at Cincinnati, it reads more like nostalgia than a serious path back to the field.