Updated: 6:30 p.m.
Chad Johnson joined Hall of Fame left tackle Anthony Munoz as the only Bengals to be named to five straight Pro Bowls Monday when Patriots wide receiver Randy Moss bowed out of Sunday's game in Honolulu.
The Bengals confirmed T.J. Houshmandzadeh's sense earlier in the day when he said his fellow wideout would join him for the AFC-NFC all-star game to be seen on Fox at 4:30 p.m.
Johnson, voted to the four previous games, had been named a first alternate back in December. It marks the first time two Bengals wide receivers have played in the same Pro Bowl. The last two receivers to go together were wide receiver Eddie Brown and tight end Rodney Holman following the 1988 season.
 Johnson |
11 - LT Anthony Munoz, 1981-91
6 - CB Lemar Parrish, 1970-71, 74-77
5 - WR Chad Johnson, 2003-07
4 - RT Willie Anderson 2003-06
4 - RB James Brooks 1986, 88-90
4 - WR Isaac Curtis, 1973-76
4 - TE Bob Trumpy, 1968-70, 73
Johnson has immersed himself in quite a bit of controversy since he last played, particularly at last week's Super Bowl when he hinted he wants out of Cincinnati. But the Bengals have indicated they won't trade him and are ever mindful of the $6-7 million hit they would take on the 2008 salary cap if they jettisoned him.
Reached on Monday, Johnson was fairly subdued, saying he had no reaction to the nod. Told about the record he shares with Munoz, he simply said, "Cool," and that he had no idea what happened to Moss.
With less than three minutes left in Sunday's Super Bowl, Moss looked healthy enough to give the Patriots the lead with a touchdown catch. But then the man that threw it, Tom Brady, isn't going to Hawaii either and will be replaced by the Browns' Derek Anderson.
Anderson will be throwing to Johnson, Houshmandzadeh, his own teammate Braylon Edwards, and the Colts' Reggie Wayne.
According to the Bengals press release, Johnson caught 93 passes for 1,440 yards and eight touchdowns in 2007. That broke his own team season record of 1,432 in 2005 and he became the team's all-time leader in receptions (559) and receiving yards (8,365). The 93 catches marked his fourth career 90-catch season. He now has at least one catch in 92 consecutive games, one short of Carl Pickens' club record streak of 93.
Johnson had five 100-yard receiving games in 2007, tying the team record he already shares, and has extended to 26 his Bengals career record for 100-yard receiving games. His 209 receiving yards on Sept. 16 at Cleveland was the AFC high for the year.
HUE J. SIGNS: One guy who is going to be watching Sunday with a lot of pride is new Ravens quarterbacks coach Hue Jackson.
Jackson, who was the offensive coordinator for the Falcons last season, coached Houshmandzadeh and Johnson to their first 1,000-yard tandem season in 2006.
As a nod to Jackson's belief in him during his breakout season in 2004, Houshmandzadeh invited him to his first Pro Bowl. But now that he has a new job, Jackson had to take a rain check.
"I know how hard they worked to get there. I'm extremely proud of both of them," Jackson said. "They know that. I know they'll go over there and represent the Bengals well and have a good time in the game."
The Bengals received permission to talk to Jackson last month, but there were no vacancies on the offensive side of the ball.
"I appreciate (Bengals president) Mike Brown and the team even thinking about the possibility of me coming back there," Jackson said. "They've got a good offensive staff there. They have good coaches. It probably worked out best for everybody."
Jackson, a former college quarterback at Pacific, has worked with quarterbacks in the Pac-10 but has never worked with new Ravens head coach John Harbaugh or offensive coordinator Cam Cameron.
"John Harbaugh is a guy with fantastic energy and a lot of fire," Jackson said. "Plus, it's an organization that has had a lot of success in the AFC North, a division that I know about."
Given that Jackson has a good relationship with Johnson, there was some thought they might be reunited here in some capacity.
"Chad is a grown man. He has to do what he has to do," Jackson said. "Coach (Marvin) Lewis knows how to best handle it and I'm sure they will."
