Chad Johnson, Boomer Esiason Bask in Cincinnati Bengals ROH Induction

When you take two of the biggest personalities to ever play for the Cincinnati Bengals, bestow upon them the highest honor the organization has, and then ask them to talk about it, you have the Super Bowl of Zooms.

With Boomer Esiason dialing in from his home in New York and Chad Johnson thumbing up the call from the patio of Long Ash Cigars in Tampa, Thursday’s media availability following the announcement of the 2023 class of the Ring of Honor was a rollicking ride through the last 40 years of Bengals history.

Let’s look at the most interesting and entertaining things they had to say.

Cincinnati Bengals ROH: Boomer Esiason and Chad Johnson React

The Celebration That Got Away

Of course, Johnson was asked about his touchdown celebrations, and he listed the Hall of Fame jacket and the marriage proposal among his best before expanding on his thought process for donning the makeshift gold jacket.

“I had crossed the 10,000-yard mark when I caught that ball, if I’m not mistaken. And at that point, I felt I was Hall of Fame worthy. I understand the politics that come with the Hall of Fame and how they judge and who they let in, it’s all subjective. But at that point, I felt I was Hall of Fame worthy, so I didn’t need their validation. Or their acceptance. As far as I’m concerned, I put myself in.”

That game was the 2007 season opener against the Baltimore Ravens, with Johnson entering that season with 6,925 yards. He obviously didn’t cross 10,000 on that touchdown — a 39-yard pass from Carson Palmer — but he would finish his 11-year career with 11,059 yards, 10,783 of which came in his 10 seasons with the Bengals, a franchise record.

But it was the story of another celebration, one that never happened, that was most entertaining. Johnson said before the 2005 season finale in Kansas City that he had purchased two easy buttons — from the popular Staples ad campaign — and hid one in both the north and south end zones inside the padding around the goal posts.

“I wasn’t able to score that game,” Johnson said of the game in which the Bengals rested all of their starters after the first quarter, having already clinched their playoff seed. “But if I was able to, I was gonna score, grab the easy button and run to Carson (Palmer) and have him press it. That was the only one I wasn’t able to do.”

Living at the Stadium

Next to his ongoing passion for McDonald’s food, perhaps the quirkiest element of Johnson’s personality was his insistence on living at Paul Brown Stadium for the first two years of his career.

He explained why he did it and why he stopped.

“Coming from a college atmosphere where we didn’t have much and then coming to an NFL stadium that provides everything, it’s like living in a luxurious hotel,” Johnson said. “You mean to tell me I don’t have to buy a house? I don’t have to rent a home because you have a players’ lounge with a TV, with a pinball machine, with a Playstation, with an Xbox?

“Wait, you have showers. Oh, my goodness, there’s a cafeteria with food. Please explain to me why am I coming as a rookie and getting a place when everything I need is right here at my job.”

So then, why did he stop?

“Marvin (Lewis) came in, and he told me it was time to grow up, be responsible, and get a place of my own so I could be a man,” Johnson said. “That was his thing, ‘You are a man now.’ So I had no choice but to leave my third year.”

Did Chad Johnson’s Personality Overshadow His Play?

The question wasn’t even complete before Johnson jumped in with an emphatic answer, saying he was glad about it and then repeating it two more times for emphasis:

“I didn’t care about stats. I didn’t care about numbers. I didn’t care about all of that stuff,” he said. “I played the game of football the same way I played it at Liberty City Optimist. I was about having fun. I was about entertaining. The numbers are gonna take care of their self. That’s all I cared about, doing what I could do to make football fun again in Cincinnati. And I think I did that.”

Boomer on the Day He Thought He’d Never See

Before fielding his first question, Esiason gave an opening statement in which he admitted he had doubts that this day would ever come. Not because he didn’t think he had the numbers to warrant induction, but because he played for a franchise that for decades showed no interest in honoring the past.

“I never really thought it was going to happen,” Esiason said. “But here I am some 39 years after the day that I was drafted, and it’s really kind of a surreal feeling, to be honest with you.”

The creation of the Ring of Honor is just one of a number of things that are different about the franchise since Esiason last wore stripes in 1997.

This is what he said when asked if he appreciates the way the Brown family runs the team now compared to when he was playing:

“They’ve morphed into this century now, and they’ve caught up.”

Boomer on Corey Dillon’s Comments About the ROH

In an interview last month with The Athletic, former Bengals running back Corey Dillon raised some eyebrows — and, no doubt, some hackles — when he blasted the way the organization lets fans elect the Ring of Honor inductees.

Esiason didn’t touch on the voting process, but he backed up Dillon’s claim that he should be in.

“Corey should’ve been in 20 years ago. We’re playing catch-up. Everybody’s playing catch-up. Guys on that list (of nominees) that I was on with this year, whether it be Tim Krumrie, Max Montoya, Lemar Parrish, David Fulcher, Cris Collinsworth, of course, all of those guys will get in and should be in. It’s a shame we’re not all in together at this time just yet. We just have to wait some more.”