Former NFL player Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson recently opened up about his journey to his current status in life. On Instagram Live, Ochocinco revealed that before he found fame in the NFL world, he worked as a stripper.
According to the Atlanta Black Star, Johnson attended Langston University in Oklahoma since he did not receive many football offers due to his bad grades. He was soon expelled for attacking his roommate, whom he suspected of stealing $100 from him.
After leaving Oklahoma and being evicted from his grandmother’s California home, Johnson eventually settled as a student at Santa Monica College in 1997. He stripped to support himself in college.
“I used to strip at The Right Track. I used to be a dancer. I could tell you because we are family. In 1997, I was in LA. My mom was out there, but I really couldn’t live with my mama, so I had a place in Santa Monica. Sometimes, I was short on my light bill. Them candles, light ‘em. I used to strip. I used to be a dancer. If anybody in the chat is from LA, that’s a little bit older. I used to strip at The Right Track. I bulls*** you not,” he remarked, according to WBLS.
Johnson disclosed that in a night he made about $2,500, $3,000. He also shared that he sometimes missed work because he was balancing stripping with football practice. “Sometimes the night would be slow, and I couldn’t make it to work because I had football practice, [but] the key is, the key back then… Back then, you danced for the big women. The big women tip you good. You know, having $2,500, $3,000 back in 1997 as a little kid, you know how much money that is? Boy, I was making a killing,” he expressed.
According to him, his stripper name was “Twix” because of how skinny he was at the time. He told his audience that he is unashamed of his past because it molded him into who he is today.
After sharing this, most of his fans were in disbelief, while others commented that they respected him for his transparency; some even jested that they would have considered it too had they been in that kind of situation.
Apart from his exotic dancing days, the NFL legend shared that he saved nearly 80% of his considerable $48.8 million earnings over his 11-year NFL career, using economizing measures like; living at the Bengals Paul Brown Stadium, buying fake jewelry, and choosing budget-friendly flights on Spirit Airlines, Brobile noted.
Ochocinco played in the NFL from 2001 to 2012. He spent the majority of his career with the Cincinnati Bengals before joining the New England Patriots and Miami Dolphins for one year each. He was a three-time First Team All-Pro wide receiver, one-time Second Team All-Pro, and six-time Pro Bowler, and led the league in receiving in 2006, according to Vibe.
