This week leading up to the Super Bowl brings plenty of NFL legends out of the woodwork. Old rivalries are ignited between players who haven’t seen each other for a while but still hold grudges from their playing days.
Two NFL legends, former Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker James Harrison and former Cincinnati Bengals receiver Chad Johnson, aka Ochocinco, have reignited their rivalry from their AFC North playing days.
AFC North Wars: Chad Johnson, James Harrison and Joey Porter Square Off On Shannon Sharpe’s “Nightcap” Show
This time, they went head to head on Shannon Sharpe and Ochocinco’s “Nightcap” show. Harrison, who had his fair share of AFC North contests against Johnson as a member of the Bengals, was a special guest, along with former Titans All-Pro running back Chris Johnson.
It didn’t take but a second for the feud between them to re-ignite. With former Steelers dog Joey Porter also in attendance, it got pretty intense. Porter basically told Ocho that Harrison would throw the (self-reported) 200-pound Johnson around like a rag doll.
Harrison told Ocho that he would “beat the brakes off him.”
“Listen, man. I accepted my Lord and Savior in August of this past year, I was baptized,” Harrison said. “What you about to make me do goes totally outside [of that].”
“I’ve been trying to hold this thing inside of me for a long time,” he continued. “’Cause ever since I got fined for $75,000 by Roger Goodell, I’ve been wanting to kill somebody. And I think you might be the [person].”
Ochocinco, who never backs down from a challenge, responded, “Fine, whatever you want to do. As a matter of fact, if you beat me I’ll add another $75,000 to your purse. How about that? So you get your money back. That’s how serious I am.”
Harrison asked, “You gonna give me that? You might as well just write that right now.”
Harrison and Ochocinco Still Want To Compete In Canceled MMA or Boxing Match Scheduled Prior To Super Bowl
Sounds like another celebrity PPV fight on a Jake Paul undercard in the making. According to reports, the logistics of the fight hasn’t been worked out because Harrison appeared to suffer a setback with a knee injury.
In October it was announced that the two former football stars would participate in a professional bout in the MMA prior to Super Bowl LIX. If Harrison, 46, and Johnson, 47, did hit the ring, plenty of people would want to see it. As of now they can’t even agree on whether they want to clash in a boxing match or MMA.
The fight was originally announced by Johnson on X (Twitter) as a three-round bout, while Harrison confirmed it was five rounds.
Johnson went on to say, “I’m gone beat yo a** in R0und 1 so don’t worry about the other 4. I’m standing on business.”
Then Harrison responded, “You not go be able to stand once I get done with you.”
In their most recent podcast connection, Johnson says he still wants all the smoke and will win the fight based on conditioning.
“But we can settle this off the field, let’s me and you have an exhibition fight,” Ochocinco told Harrison.
Harrison, whose nickname “Deebo” comes from the character in the classic “Friday” movie series featuring Ice Cube and Chris Tucker, agreed, “Let’s do it, MMA.”
Harrison, who is 6 feet and 240 pounds and known as one of the most ferocious linebackers ever to play the game, significantly outweighs the 180-pound former wide receiver, while giving up an inch in height.
Antonio Brown Says Illegal Harrison Hit (That Never Happened) Gave Him CTE
Antonio Brown has been criticized for his erratic behavior during the last few years of his NFL career. Brown believes he got CTE from a hit compliments of former teammate Harrison.
“I wanted to tell you guys that I think James Harrison gave me CTE,” Brown said two years ago. “James Harrison had an illegal helmet for over 20 years in the NFL and he hit me one time. And ever since he hit me I’ve been super aggressive. So blame James Harrison for my CTE.”
During the February 2023 IG Live session, fans wrote concerned and speculative comments like “Dude what’s going on” and “AB on drugs.”
Especially considering many believed Brown was confusing training with Harrison to a devastating hit he received from Cincinnati Bengals linebacker Vontaze Burfict. During a 2016 wild card round matchup between the Bengals and the Steelers, Burfict delivered a high impact to Brown’s head late in the fourth quarter on an incomplete pass. As a result, Brown suffered a concussion from the play, with Burfict receiving a three-game suspension. penalty.
Johnson Says Weight Disadvantage Doesn’t Matter Against Harrison
Johnson’s bravado was on 100, and nobody can sell a beef like Ocho, who addressed the weight difference.
“He soft…I’ll bet that N-word’s a-s,” Ocho boasted. “I see through all the muscle.”
“The weight don’t matter, I don’t care how big you are, Imma just beat your ass,” Johnson told Harrison, a two-time Super Bowl champion, NFL Defensive Player of the Year (2008) and five-time Pro Bowl selection.
“He thinks because of his size, because of him being strong, that really means nothing,” Johnson told Sharpe in an earlier “Nightcap” podcast posted four months ago. “So, in the octagon, I’m probably going to beat his ass, just being honest.”
Fans were shocked that the slim Johnson would even be game to fight the much bigger Harrison and expressed their concern on social media.
Social Media Thinks Ochocinco Is Crazy To Fight “Boogeyman” Harrison
One X user commented, “JAMES HARRISON IS A LARGE HUMAN BEING AND OCHO WANTS TO BOX THIS MAN?!?!”
Harrison, also known as one of the great cheap shot artists and trash talkers of all-time, used to harass and hound Johnson and any other Bengals offensive player daring to come over the middle. The rivalry between these two greats goes way back.
Once in a game, Harrison threatened to “kill” Johnson and accused him of being scared because he thought he “was going to get hit.”
A battle in the octagon or in the ring between two former NFL greats would have been a great leadup to Super Bowl 59. For now we have to indulge the two former legends as they try to hype the future fight and raise the stakes, while getting more fans interested in the drama. A Bengals-Steelers rivalry is always high energy and high animosity, regardless of the competition.
