Former NFL star lived in his team's stadium for two years because he didn't want to spend any money
Chad 'Ochocinco' Johnson was always a fascinating personality in the NFL, but few know just how frugal he was in his rookie years
Chad 'Ochocinco' Johnson is one of the most enigmatic players in NFL history, and stories from his life and career continue to amaze fans to this day.
The man who legally changed his name to Chad Ochocinco for several years in the late 2000s also managed to be a Pro Bowl competitor on six occasions, and an All-Pro four times throughout his 11 years in the NFL.
However, beyond his infamous name change and generally prolific career as a wide receiver, another thing that Chad Johnson has become very well known for is his extreme cost-cutting tendencies and frugalness.
Despite being a multimillionaire, the former #85 for the Cincinnati Bengals was not above holding himself to a tight budget, one that apparently didn’t fit living quarters for his first two seasons with the Ohio team.
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Instead, he lived inside Paul Brown Stadium – now known as Paycor Stadium – which has acted as the home of the Bengals since 2000.
Speaking to Shannon Sharpe on the Club Shay Shay podcast in early 2023, Ocho explained why he chose to live at the stadium rather than renting a home in his rookie years, revealing that it wasn’t due to a lack of ability to do so.
“There was no point in spending money and wasting money when everything I need is already there,” Johnson said.
He continued, noting all the amenities that came along with living inside the stadium that he would’ve needed to self-fund if he was living elsewhere.
“Showers, cafeteria, TV, couch, gaming system,” Ocho recalled, “What’s the point? I was so locked in. It wasn’t about having my own space.”
Johnson was eventually told by Bengals coach Marvin Lewis that he should move out of the stadium and find his own place, but not before he spent two seasons living and breathing Bengals football.
By the time he moved out, Johnson was already on his way to becoming the most prolific wide receiver in Bengals history.
“I needed that one year lock in to catch the rhythm. In the second year I got that rhythm.”
When talking about his spending habits beyond just his living quarters, Ocho is consistent in his frugalness, as he sees minimal value in spending big-time money on luxury items.
Johnson explained why he has the perspective, saying: “There is nothing I can buy that’s bigger than my name alone. Everybody is caught up in image, and looking a certain way, being rich. It’s pointless.”
Dylan Murray