Chad Ochocinco to Patriots: Reign in Cincinnati Over
Chad Ochocinco has officially signed a three-year deal with the New England Patriots on Thursday, ending his free agency and time as a Cincinnati Bengal.
Ochocinco, who served 10 years in the wide receiver position for the Bengals, will play for head coach Bill Belichick. After revealing the news to ESPN NFL Inside, John Clayton, called the move “genius.”
“Bill Belichick and his staff are absolute masters at being able to look at the skills of a player, get what they think out of them and also accept some of the fact that they will have characters and try to give them the freedom to let them do what they do,” Clayton said of the Ochocinco deal. “He’ll know what Chad can do well and what Chad doesn’t do well and as a coach he doesn’t put guys like that in a position where they can fail. He’ll just ask for their best.”
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Although some have questioned whether avid tweeter Ochocinco’s colorful personality would fit in line with what USA Today called Belichick’s “desire that his players adopt a vanilla stance with reporters,” the two have spoken well about one another in the media.
“An odd couple, but in the end, I think we have a lot of things in common," the Patriots head coach said of Ochocinco in 2010. “I like his enthusiasm and the fun he has with football, and I like how he competes on the football field.”
Ochocinco made big plays on the football field for the Bengals last season, and is the all-time record holder for receptions in Cincinnati’s history; with 751. The wide receiver will join the offensive squad alongside renowned Patriots quarterback Tom Brady.
Aside from the Ochocinco deal, the Patriots also picked up controversial defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth from the Washington Redskins on Thursday. Ty Warren, defensive lineman for the Patriots, expressed his excitement about the Haynesworth acquisition.
"It's huge. I mean, he's got some freakish ability," Warren said. "I've seen him on film, and he's the real deal."
Ochocinco arrived just after Haynesworth at the New England Gillette Stadium on Thursday night to begin the 2011-2012 season.
