Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson expressed his sorrow about not having the chance to say goodbye to his former teammate and friend, Rudy Johnson, who passed away in Florida at the age of 45.
The two were drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals in 2001 and spent seven seasons playing together.
Speaking on his “Night Cap” show, Chad reflected on Rudy’s death and shared his philosophy about expressing love on social media and in person.
“I want to tell you everything I love you,” Chad shared with his audience. “If you follow me, you know I tweet this almost daily. Since I joined Twitter back in 2009, I’ve always said, ‘I love you.’ Even if we just met, I would likely say it. It’s important. It might be the last chance you have to say ‘I love you,’ so I do it frequently.”
He added, “I just lost my dog. I lost my dog, Rudy Johnson, yesterday. I’m upset—really hurting. The memories we created while playing in Cincinnati and everything—we always made it a point to say ‘I love you’ to each other. It was a ritual, no matter where we were, even with strangers at an airport or mall.”
“I’m just really upset that I couldn’t say goodbye to my good friend. It’s such a shame. Young Rudy, I miss you. I love you.”
According to reports, Rudy Johnson had been dealing with mental health challenges prior to his death.
Bengals owner Mike Brown also expressed his condolences: “Rudy was a wonderful person and an excellent running back for us. He was dependable, productive, and very well-liked among his teammates. Everyone saw him as a dear friend, and we are deeply saddened by his passing.”
If you’re struggling with thoughts of suicide or facing a mental health crisis, please reach out by calling or texting 988 or visiting 988lifeline.org.
