It has been a summer full of ups and downs for NFL receiver Chad Johnson. After what looked like it was going to be a bounce back season for the six-time Pro Bowl receiver who spent most of last season on the sidelines for the New England Patriots, it has all quickly come to an end. Chad Johnson, formerly known as Chad Ochocinco, was arrested this past weekend for a domestic battery case involving his wife.
Less than 24 hours following the arrest, the Miami Dolphins decided to part ways with their biggest offseason signing. Johnson was arrested two months after signing his new contract with the Dolphins, where he had hoped to get his career back on track after an off year with the Patriots.
His marriage, however, was just over a month in. Although the arrest has caused a lot of negative coverage towards the former Dolphins receiver, Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin announced in the press conference regarding the release of Chad Johnson, that it was not based on this one incident.
From Miami Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin via ESPN;
“With any type of these decisions, it was not an easy one,” Philbin said. “It was not reactive nor was it based on one single incident.”
He also added that it was based on how he thought Johnson didn’t fit in with the team and the expectations that were expected of him were not met.
“Again, it was more of a body of evidence from June 11th forward. When he came in on June 11th, we sat down and we talked and I was very clear as to the expectations of the program. It just didn’t work out,” he said. “It’s more about the fit; in my gut I didn’t think the fit was going to be beneficial to either party moving forward, whether in the short-term or the long-term. That’s really what it was all about. It wasn’t about one specific thing; it just wasn’t going to work.”
The couple was set to star in their own reality show entitled “Ev and Ocho”, but VH1 has decided to pull the series due to what happened this past weekend. Johnson will now try looking for work elsewhere within the NFL, as well as try to patch up things in his new marriage.
If there’s one thing we know about him, it’s that he’s always been in the media and in the spotlight for what he does, no matter what field it may be in. His playing career might be jeopardized now because of this incident, but don’t be too surprised if he’s back in the NFL, whether it be taking the field as a player or doing a pre-game show Sunday afternoons.
Only time will tell.