Former All-Pro WR says Bills' Stevie Johnson had the best footwork he's ever seen

USA Today

5 hours ago

Former Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stevie Johnson may not have been a nationally-recognized household name, having played for underachieving Bills teams and receiving zero Pro Bowl selections, but those who watched him play on a regular basis knew just how good he was.
On a recent episode of the Green Light podcast hosted by Chris Long, former NFL All-Pro wide receiver Chad Ochocinco gave Johnson a shout out, reminding people of the perhaps-forgotten playmaker of the early 2010s.
"The greatest footwork," Ochocinco said. "I've never seen anything like Stevie Johnson... still to this day. He does AND1 [basketball] moves on the field and it works every time."
That's quite the praise from Ochocinco, who was a three-time First-Team All-Pro receiver during his time with the Cincinnati Bengals, and even led the NFL in receiving yards in 2006.
Although Stevie didn't accumulate the accolades like Ochocinco, he did put up impressive numbers in an otherwise underwhelming era of Bills football. In 2011, he became the first Bills player in history to record back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons, and the following year he became the first player in the team's history to do it in three straight seasons.
He became one of the best steals in Bills draft history after being selected in the seventh round in 2008 out of Kentucky. In team history, he ranks in the top ten in all major receiving categories, including receptions (9th), receiving yards (10th), receiving touchdowns (8th), and receiving yards per game (9th). He accomplished all that despite playing only three full 16-game seasons.
Not only did he put up numbers in his prime, but he made it look good, too. Time and time again he displayed masterful route-running technique, specifically in his release package. Like Ochocinco said, it was like he was playing basketball on the gridiron.
Planting the outside foot in the turf and cutting the face of his defender was reminiscent of an Allen Iverson crossover on the hardwood.
He proved his capabilities countless times over his impressive three-year stretch (2010-2012), but never more so than when he went up against Hall of Fame cornerback Darrell Revis while facing the New York Jets. Revis is one of the best corners to ever do it, and Johnson was one of the few that was able to still do his thing when lined up against him.
The old Revis-Johnson rivalry was recently brought up on X, as their incredible matchups are still being talked about nearly 15 years later.
With the numbers Johnson put up, the effective route-running that he put on film, and the fact that he could go toe-to-toe with the era's best corner, it's no wonder Ochocinco hasn't forgotten about him.
Watch the full clip of what Ochocinco had to say below: