Latest news with #eMLSCUP2025
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Bengals legend Chad 'Ochocinco' Johnson reacts to Chiefs' loss to Eagles in Super Bowl LIX
This week, Chiefs Wire's Ed Easton Jr. spoke to Cincinnati Bengals legend and retired NFL wide receiver Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson at the Whitney Museum in New York City during his panel appearance for eMLS CUP 2025. In his interview with Easton Jr., Johnson shared his reaction to Kansas City's disappointing loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX and detailed his thoughts on why the Chiefs fell short in their three-peat bid. Advertisement "I'm not surprised," Johnson said of Kansas City's defeat at the hands of Philadelphia last month. "I mean, you watched them all year. You understood the defensive line, and that was there. I call it the meat and potatoes of their defense: always one up front in any football game, no matter what, if it turns out as strong as they are. You understood the Chiefs' weakness was on the offensive line. The offensive line has been [expletive] up all year long. "They've had a continuous merry-go-round of putting people in certain positions to see what fits. It never worked. But [Patrick] Mahomes was so great that he could overcome most of the struggles with the offensive line, right? But get to the [expletive] Eagles, who got all those young dogs up there from Georgia, and that's what you get. I knew it would probably go like, I didn't know it would be that bad; I knew they had the edge." The Chiefs' offensive line struggled against the Eagles' front four defensive linemen, as pass rushers routinely put pressure on Patrick Mahomes. Philadelphia finished the game with six sacks on the two-time league MVP, disrupting Kansas City's game plan. The Cincinnati Bengals all-time receiving yards leader spoke on Major League Soccer's GAME ON: Next-Gen Fandom panel, which featured thought leaders, industry disruptors, and Gen Z voices. The panel explored the evolution of sports consumption, the influences of gaming, hip-hop, digital art, and sneaker culture, and how authenticity in the digital age is essential for audience engagement. "Well, there's a lot of NFL, NBA, and sports icons connected to Major League Soccer, and Chad [Johnson has been] very vocal about his love and his interest in the sport," MLS Executive Vice President and Chief Engagement Officer Sola Winley explained. "He shows up to events like this. He's a supporter of the league. We have a lot of other former athletes and current athletes who have invested and partnered with Major League Soccer, from Kevin Durant to others who are participating." Advertisement Johnson is an avid gamer, especially when playing the EA SPORTS FC franchise. The game reaches global audiences and the next generation of fans, as many attended the crowning of a new eMLS 2025 champion at the Whitney Museum. For more information on eMLS, visit This article originally appeared on Chiefs Wire: Chad 'Ochocinco' Johnson on Chiefs' loss to Eagles in Super Bowl LIX
USA Today
20-03-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Bengals legend Chad 'Ochocinco' Johnson gives advice to prospects in 2025 draft class
Bengals legend Chad 'Ochocinco' Johnson gives advice to prospects in 2025 draft class This week, Touchdown Wire's Ed Easton Jr. spoke to Cincinnati Bengals legend and retired NFL wide receiver Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson at the Whitney Museum in New York City during his panel appearance for eMLS CUP 2025. During his interview with Easton Jr., Johnson shared valuable advice for the talented crop of wide receiver prospects in the 2025 NFL draft class, and gave his opinion on touchdown celebrations in the league today. "Focus on your craft and not your brand because of social media right now; everybody wants to create this brand, and, you know, without working on the craft, but if you're good at your craft, the brand can create itself," Johnson advised. "So everybody's getting lost and worrying about a brand deal. Take care of everything if you're that boy on the field. Social media is somewhat of a drug, in a sense. You have to be seen focusing on your craft. I haven't played football in 13-14 years, and that brand of mine is still just as strong as if I had just played yesterday, but I was great at what I did on the field. So you take care of that part. The rest is carrying itself. The name is carrying itself. I ain't caught the ball in years." The six-time Pro Bowler spoke on Major League Soccer's GAME ON: Next-Gen Fandom panel, which featured thought leaders, industry disruptors, and Gen Z voices. The panel explored the evolution of sports consumption, the influences of gaming, hip-hop, digital art, and sneaker culture, and how authenticity in the digital age is essential for audience engagement. "There's another example of how sports expands and transcends boundaries and athletes today," said MLS Executive Vice President and Chief Engagement Officer Sola Winley. "They resonate, and so you look for heroes, right, people that can transcend teams, since athletes are moving around, and people feel connected to athletes and individuals and want to know what they're doing in their life. So Chad [Johnson is] out here today, hanging out with us and enjoying some Major League Soccer." Johnson enjoyed pushing the boundaries of how he could celebrate touchdowns during his successful football career, and he chimed in strongly on the freedom players have today with their ideas. "That's what made it so fun, the fact that you couldn't do it," Johnson explained. "So, [we] always [found] loopholes around it. Today, they let everybody celebrate, but nobody's pushing the [expletive] envelope. Push the envelope. I would push it. Listen, if I was playing today and you're allowed to celebrate, I'm pulling the fan out of the stands or some [expletive] that hadn't been done before. We can celebrate as a group. I would integrate. Listen, the game of football is all about fan interaction. I would take that to the next level: fan engagement. I'll pull somebody out of the stands so fast. Can you imagine?" "We've seen it. No matter what you do, the stuff I did was authentic. It was one of one. It's organic, not everything you see now. We've seen that before," said Johnson in his evaluation of today's NFL celebrations. "Doing the Temptations and the Five Heartbeats are doing stuff that we've already seen, whether through TV media. I would push the envelope. Do something not in the rule book and force them to make a rule."
USA Today
19-03-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Bengals legend Chad 'Ochocinco' Johnson discusses long-time passion for soccer, MLS
Bengals legend Chad 'Ochocinco' Johnson discusses long-time passion for soccer, MLS This week, Touchdown Wire's Ed Easton Jr. spoke to Cincinnati Bengals legend and retired NFL wide receiver Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson at the Whitney Museum in New York City during his panel appearance for eMLS CUP 2025. In his interview with Easton Jr., Johnson opened up about his love for soccer and continue partnership with MLS. "My passion for soccer started as a kid," Johnson began. "I'm from Liberty City in Miami. You know how that was in the 80s, nothing. I come from nothing. My grandfather, who was Bahamian, always used to watch soccer at the time. (Diego) Maradona was playing at that time. Pele was playing at the time. Most of the time, as an adult, what you gravitate to younger, what you see first as a youngin, is directly related to what you want to do and want to play. Soccer was something that I fell in love with, but I had no resources to play, especially where I come from. So it's always been a love of mine. I have always been enthusiastic and passionate about the game, the beautiful game, but I never had the opportunity to play. " Johnson played eleven seasons in the NFL, earning many honors, notably with the Bengals for ten seasons and a Super Bowl appearance in his lone season with the New England Patriots. He explained the decision to pursue a career in the NFL instead of his first love, soccer. "No other route to go. My route to get out of my circumstances at that time was football. It definitely wasn't going to be any damn academic scholarship. I mean, I'm just gonna be honest. So that was my ticket out," Johnson explained. "Everyone has those same circumstances. You know, Grandma to take care of family, kids at the time, So my ticket out was American football, but soccer was always my love, and always will be, still to this day." The two-time first-team All-Pro wide receiver spoke on Major League Soccer's GAME ON: Next-Gen Fandom panel, which featured thought leaders, industry disruptors, and Gen Z voices. The panel explored the evolution of sports consumption, the influences of gaming, hip-hop, digital art, and sneaker culture, and how authenticity in the digital age is essential for audience engagement. Major League Soccer unveiled the new "Game On" brand campaign for its 30th season celebration. The spot features Grammy Award-winning rap artist and avid soccer fan Doechii. "Well, the beauty about Doechii being a partner is, first and foremost, she played soccer growing up, and she's entering into what's going to be a very impactful part of her life," said MLS Executive Vice President and Chief Engagement Officer Sola Winley. "She has a global following; she's got an audience that adores her. Her message resonates. She's only one of three women who have won a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, and for her to make a decision to partner with Major League Soccer, a brand that is trying to continue to deepen its roots in culture, really is a significant statement, and so I expect big things to continue to happen. I hope that she feels that it's a partnership that's valuable for her. It's certainly valuable for us, and we're working on some potential big things with Doechii. So stay tuned."
USA Today
19-03-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Bengals legend Chad 'Ochocinco' Johnson reacts to Chiefs' loss to Eagles in Super Bowl LIX
Bengals legend Chad 'Ochocinco' Johnson reacts to Chiefs' loss to Eagles in Super Bowl LIX This week, Chiefs Wire's Ed Easton Jr. spoke to Cincinnati Bengals legend and retired NFL wide receiver Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson at the Whitney Museum in New York City during his panel appearance for eMLS CUP 2025. In his interview with Easton Jr., Johnson shared his reaction to Kansas City's disappointing loss to the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl LIX and detailed his thoughts on why the Chiefs fell short in their three-peat bid. "I'm not surprised," Johnson said of Kansas City's defeat at the hands of Philadelphia last month. "I mean, you watched them all year. You understood the defensive line, and that was there. I call it the meat and potatoes of their defense: always one up front in any football game, no matter what, if it turns out as strong as they are. You understood the Chiefs' weakness was on the offensive line. The offensive line has been [expletive] up all year long. "They've had a continuous merry-go-round of putting people in certain positions to see what fits. It never worked. But [Patrick] Mahomes was so great that he could overcome most of the struggles with the offensive line, right? But get to the [expletive] Eagles, who got all those young dogs up there from Georgia, and that's what you get. I knew it would probably go like, I didn't know it would be that bad; I knew they had the edge." The Chiefs' offensive line struggled against the Eagles' front four defensive linemen, as pass rushers routinely put pressure on Patrick Mahomes. Philadelphia finished the game with six sacks on the two-time league MVP, disrupting Kansas City's game plan. The Cincinnati Bengals all-time receiving yards leader spoke on Major League Soccer's GAME ON: Next-Gen Fandom panel, which featured thought leaders, industry disruptors, and Gen Z voices. The panel explored the evolution of sports consumption, the influences of gaming, hip-hop, digital art, and sneaker culture, and how authenticity in the digital age is essential for audience engagement. "Well, there's a lot of NFL, NBA, and sports icons connected to Major League Soccer, and Chad [Johnson has been] very vocal about his love and his interest in the sport," MLS Executive Vice President and Chief Engagement Officer Sola Winley explained. "He shows up to events like this. He's a supporter of the league. We have a lot of other former athletes and current athletes who have invested and partnered with Major League Soccer, from Kevin Durant to others who are participating." Johnson is an avid gamer, especially when playing the EA SPORTS FC franchise. The game reaches global audiences and the next generation of fans, as many attended the crowning of a new eMLS 2025 champion at the Whitney Museum.
USA Today
18-03-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
NFL legend Chad 'Ochocinco' Johnson reflects on history of working with MLS, EA SPORTS FC
NFL legend Chad 'Ochocinco' Johnson reflects on history of working with MLS, EA SPORTS FC This week, Touchdown Wire's Ed Easton Jr. spoke to Cincinnati Bengals legend and retired NFL wide receiver Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson at the Whitney Museum in New York City during his panel appearance for eMLS CUP 2025. In his conversation with Easton Jr., Johnson opened up about his work with MLS and dominance as a gamer playing EA SPORTS FC. "I am actually working with MLS and getting an opportunity to work at the World Cup In Qatar for four months straight; they understood my love for the game and being able to talk about it," said Johnson. "It was the relationships I built with players over the years. I started back in 2001, so I know damn near everybody, so I had a personal connection. I was able to bridge that gap from the media. Listen, we don't have to go through that individual's assistant. I could pick up the phone and text him, but it made it easier." Over the years, Johnson earned a reputation in the eSports community for his skills in every version of EA SPORTS FC. He loves the competition so far that he's regularly traveled to opposing gamers' houses to battle in person. "Yeah, I still do that. I don't care, you talk s*** when I'm traveling, I will catch an Uber, come to the house, as long you got food, i still do," said Johnson, who also shot down the notion that any former or current NFL player could compete with him in the game. "No, not even close. I'm an avid gamer. People play EAFC for recreation; I play EAFC as a way of life." Johnson appeared as a panelist during the event, which featured an elite EA SPORTS FC 25 competition with some of the world's best participants. The 2025 eMLS Cup featured a panel discussion with emerging and established athletes, high-energy music performances, and immersive art experiences. Blending these engaging elements showcased the future of sports, gaming, and digital fandom. "The Whitney Museum has been a terrific partner," said MLS Executive Vice President and Chief Engagement Officer Sola Winley. "We did an event with them earlier in the year and they've been just a terrific partner just to be able to host us. They have Free Friday nights, It introduces a new audience to the museum, an audience that Major League Soccer is also interested in, a younger, more diverse, tech-savvy audience interested in culture. So, events like today are extremely successful for the league. I couldn't be more happy with the turnout."
