Why Chad Johnson Needs to Quit While He's Ahead and Retire

Maybe saying Chad Johnson is currently "ahead" is a bit misleading, but the point remains the same. The man formerly known as "Ochocinco" should just retire and save himself the public humiliation of trying to hang on to a career that isn't going anywhere. 

After spending the first 10 seasons of his career with the Cincinnati Bengals, last year Johnson was a member of the New England Patriots. He played in 15 games and caught just 15 passes for 276 yards and one touchdown. He was a complete disappointment with the Pats and barely broke the team's receiving rotation.

In 2010 Johnson had an average year with the Bengals, catching 67 passes for 831 yards and just four scores. At that point it looked like he was well into the downward slop of his career. 

Now he is a 34-year-old former six-time Pro Bowler who was only offered a contract by the Miami Dolphins this offseason. The Dolphins have now released him thanks to his arrest on a domestic violence complaint, and no one is knocking down his door to get him a contract. 

Johnson is more of a sideshow than a receiver these days. No NFL team that wants to be taken seriously will even consider bringing him in. He has a decision to make. He can step away from the game somewhat gracefully now, or try desperately to hang on and get picked up by a team like Terrell Owens has done.

Johnson is an incredibly popular presence on Twitter and among fans. He's entertaining and generally affable. Maybe he would make a good analyst or could work in the entertainment industry. He has options other than football, and it's about time for him to put the game in his rearview mirror.