When it comes to Chad Johnson, fans associate the former NFL wideout with plenty of things. From his funny antics and on-field celebrations to his precise route running and even his Madden legacy, Johnson carved out a memorable place in the game’s history. But not memorable enough to earn a spot in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
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That’s always been a contentious topic for Johnson. He firmly believes he deserves the honor of walking through the halls of Canton and seeing his bust, and he’s been advocating for himself ever since retiring in 2011. Back in 2016, he even went on live TV to speak candidly about it.
Johnson joined Shannon Sharpe and Skip Bayless on Undisputed to discuss a variety of topics, and that’s when the conversation shifted to his Hall of Fame case.
“Those who do the voting, they base getting in on so much other than your accolades that have to do with in between the lines. So much,” Johnson said.
“So much that had nothing to do with the game of football, you know, personality, character, all this other stuff. But if you look at the numbers and match it up to others that have made it, then I should be in there someday,” he argued.
Johnson suggested that his personality was a big reason he hasn’t been inducted. While that may have played a part, given his eccentric on-field antics, his career numbers also don’t stack up against most of the receivers already in the Hall of Fame.
Sharpe pointed that out, while Bayless laid out his own criteria for what makes a Hall of Famer.
“My criteria is if I have to hesitate at all, you’re not in the Hall of Fame. If I say Tom Brady, you’re gonna say Hall of Famer,” Bayless professed.
The famous sports analyst was slyly trying to throw water on Johnson’s argument. Bayless clearly second-guesses himself when he thinks about whether the former Bengal should be in the Hall of Fame. There could’ve been no other reason he brought it up.
Sharpe then dismissed Johnson’s candidacy outright once he compared his numbers to those of actual Hall of Famers.
“Chad, it’s going to be tough, bro. Because if you don’t have 1000 catches, they’re not gonna even think about you,” the former tight end pointed out.
This led to an interesting exchange between the two future podcasters. Sharpe knows better than anyone the hoops players have to jump through to get into the Hall as a wide receiver, mainly because his brother, Sterling, had to wait so long.
By the end of the back-and-forth, Sharpe even argued that his brother had better stats in fewer seasons than Johnson. “You only had 67 touchdowns,” Sharpe said.
“What do you mean only? Do you know how hard it was for me to get 67 touchdowns?” Johnson retorted.
“How many years did you play?” Sharpe asked, to which Johnson said 10. “My brother played seven and got 65,” Sharpe added.
“Who’s your brother?” Johnson hilariously asked.
Nine years after this conversation, a lot has changed. Now, we’d say that Sharpe would like nothing more than to see Johnson make the Hall. This past year, his brother Sterling finally got inducted into Canton, and Shannon was super emotional about it. The pair became the first and only brotherly duo in the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
