Former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Ochocinco (Johnson) announced via X that he will fight Pittsburgh Steelers great James Harrison. The fight is a three-round MMA-style exhibition, possibly before Super Bowl LIX.
James Harrison said that Ochocinco “won’t be able to stand” when he’s done with him.
You not go be able to stand once I get done with you. https://t.co/Qxnq2A9tNA
— James Harrison (@jharrison9292) October 2, 2024
The supposed fight comes after a Sept. 27 episode of Inside the NFL. Ochocinco explained how he would intimidate Steelers players before a game.
“I knew it (playing the Steelers) would be a two-chinstrap game,” Johnson said. “Which is why I tried to establish dominance at the beginning by punking their most scariest players.”
Johnson then rolled footage of himself and Harrison butting helmets before a game.
“There it is,” Johnson said. “I’m in your face, boy.”
Ochocinco was a six-time Pro Bowl selection during his 11-year NFL career. He led the league in 2006 with 1,369 receiving yards.
Harrison is a Steelers legend and Hall of Honor inductee. He recorded a career-high 16 sacks in 2008 and returned an interception for 100 yards during Super Bowl XLIII.
The Steelers and Bengals have a long history as division rivals, with the Steelers leading the all-time series 79-38.
The rivalry hit a fever pitch in the mid-aughts when the teams faced off during the 2005 Wild Card Game.
That game is most famous in Bengals lore for the devastating knee injury suffered by Bengals QB Carson Palmer at the hands of Kimo von Oelhoffen.
The Steelers went on to win Super Bowl XL, while Bengals fans wondered what could’ve been.
The exhibition fight hasn’t yet been confirmed, though it would serve as another exciting chapter in the Pittsburgh-Cincinatti rivalry.