Chad ‘Ochocinco’ Johnson may have earned millions of dollars while playing in the NFL. However, the retired wide receiver recently stated that he was not interested in that luxurious lifestyle during his playing days, as he saved more than 80% of his salary by being frugal with his spending.
During an interview with Shannon Sharpe on his “Club Shay Shay” podcast, the 45-year-old opened up about his spending habits. Johnson, who is said to have made around $48 million during his playing days, admitted to taking Spirit Airlines flights and wearing fake jewelry to save money, according to Mail Online.
“Fly private? I ain’t flying private,” Johnson said. “Put me on Spirit Exit row. Window seat. That’s all I need. As long as I get from point A to point B. I don’t need private.”
Johnson played 11 seasons in the NFL for teams such as the Cincinnati Bengals, New England Patriots, and Miami Dolphins. Despite his good financial standing, the 45-year-old told Sharpe that he “never bought anything real” while actively playing football.
“Never,” he added. “What was the point? I went to Claire’s. For what? What am I doing it for? The women are going to deal with you anyway, because of who you are, and then the other women, who are really doing their homework done Googled how much you make already.”
“Why am I buying a $50,000 watch, $80,000 watch?” he questioned. “I done saved 80 [to] 83 percent of my salary.”
Johnson also advised NFL players to watch their spending if they receive large bonuses for improved performance. “If you can get to the point in your career where your name becomes bigger than anything you can buy, that’s your value,” Johnson, who is known for lavishly tipping waiters and waitresses, explained.
“Everybody is caught up in image and looking a certain way and being rich. It’s me. It’s pointless,” the six-time Pro Bowler added. “You know how hard it’s to live like that all the time, consistently, and be fly every day?”
Johnson spent the majority of his career with the Bengals, from 2001 to 2010. He was named to the All-Pro first team three times and led the NFL in receiving yards in 2006.
.@ochocinco saved 83% of his salary by flying Spirit & wearing fake jewelry pic.twitter.com/RMC7AYPREa
— shannon sharpe (@ShannonSharpe) January 31, 2023