Johnson saw moderate playing time as a rookie, catching 28 passes for 329 yards and one touchdown. Furthermore, in 2003, Johnson set a Bengals franchise record by recording 1,355 receiving yards. He later surpassed the record in 2005, recording 1,432 yards. Johnson has led the AFC in receiving yards for three seasons.
In addition to being one of the most productive receivers in the NFL, Johnson is also one of the most popular ones. In the fan voting for the 2006 Pro Bowl, Johnson finished first in votes for wide receivers, and fourth overall with 987,650 total votes. He has earned nationwide attention for his flamboyant attitude, which is often seen during his infamous end zone celebrations after catching touchdown passes. In a list released in August 2006 by Fox Sports listing the top 10 showboats in professional sports, Chad topped the list. Furthermore, Johnson has drawn even more attention to himself with his gilded grills, earrings, and as of 2006, his bleach blond mohawk.
On April 20, 2006, Johnson signed a contract extension. The deal, which pays Johnson an additional $35.5 million, will last up to 2011.
During the first half of 2006 Cincinnati Bengals season, Johnson saw little activity. After being bogged down by an early injury, Johnson's productivity witnessed a sharp decline. During the first eight weeks of the 2006 season, Johnson only caught two touchdown passes, while only amassing 483 yards. However, after shaving his Mohawk and changing his mentality, Johnson had a breakout game in a losing effort against the San Diego Chargers. Johnson accumulated 260 receiving yards and scored two touchdowns, which broke the previous Bengals record for most receiving yards per game. He went on to amass 190 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns in a 31-16 win over the New Orleans Saints in the following week.
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