When Chad Johnson signed with the CFL’s Montreal Allouettes in April, the team’s GM claimed that the wide receiver simply “wanted to be part of a team again,” and wasn’t angling to make an NFL comeback. Today, agent Drew Rosenhaus told James Walker of ESPN.com that his client is in fact playing with the goal of returning to a 100-yard field.
“If they did [call], he would jump for it,” Rosenhaus said. “Of course, he would love it. But right now, he’s operating as a Canadian Football League player. We will see what happens. It’s not like we’re holding our breath that he’s going to play in the NFL. But he’s trying. That’s the goal.”
The former six-time Pro Bowler “doesn’t lack confidence or enthusiasm,” according to his ever-confident agent, but getting back to the NFL could be a tall order. Johnson, 36, would be the oldest receiver in the league this season. Colts veteran Reggie Wayne, 35, is the current owner of that title.
Johnson, in his prime, was once one of the NFL’s top wide receivers and certainly one of its most charismatic athletes. He recorded six consecutive 1,000-yard seasons from 2002-07 as a member of the Bengals and has 766 career receptions for 11,059 yards and 82 touchdowns in 11 NFL seasons. We wouldn’t bank on him adding to that total, but apparently he’s not thinking much about life after football. Rosenhaus says that Johnson would “play football until he’s 50 if they let him.”