Chad Johnson calls Ja’Marr Chase the best WR in Bengals history

High praise coming from the team’s all-time receiving leader.

Is Ja’Marr Chase already the best wide receiver in Cincinnati Bengals history? The man who many believe is that man thinks so.

In an interview with CBS HQ, Bengals all-time receiving leader Chad Johnson dubbed Chase, whose only a rookie the best receiver in franchise history.

“I think I can say this, he’s probably the best Bengals receiver to don the damn stripes,” Johnson said on CBS Sports HQ Thursday. “He had a stellar rookie season that’s never been done. He’s playing in a Super Bowl. I had a decade to help my team achieve and get to. I didn’t do that.

“I might have been the most entertaining receiver — maybe player — to ever play this game. What Ja’Marr has done in just a year’s time would identify him as the best Bengal to ever play, especially at the receiver position.”

Chase’s rookie year has been nothing short of extraordinary. In the regular season, he made 81 catches for 1,455 yards ranking fourth in the NFL and 13 touchdown grabs ranking third. His 18 yards per catch ranked second in the NFL only behind San Francisco 49ers star Deebo Samuel.

This postseason, Chase went for over 100 yards in Bengals Wild Card round win over the Las Vegas Raiders and Divisional Round win over the Tennessee Titans and then scored a touchdown and made six grabs for 54 yards in the AFC Championship game to help the Bengals stun the Kansas City Chiefs and clinch a Super Bowl berth.

As amazing as Chase has been, it’s hard to say he’s the best receiver in franchise history yet.

Johnson, who racked 10,783 yards, made 751 catches and made 66 touchdown grabs in a career that saw him reach six pro bowls, still has that title and A.J. Green, Isaac Curtis, Carl Pickens, Chris Collinsworth and other franchise greats have the long-term success Chase doesn’t yet have.

But, he had perhaps the best single-season of any Bengal receiver and surely any Bengal rookie and is well on his way to becoming the greatest receiver ever to dawn the Black and Orange.