NFL legend who played in 2012 Superbowl has Hibs fans all asking the same thing after viral social media clip
Former American Football player Chad Ochocinco recently sported a classic Hibs jersey on his ‘Nightcap’ YouTube show.
A social media clip has recently circulated which has had fans of Scottish football and Hibs scratching their heads after an American Football legend was seen wearing a very recognisable top.
Former Cincinnati Bengals and New England Patriots wide receiver Chad Ochocinco was appearing on the ‘Nightcap’ podcast, which he co-hosts with fellow ex NFL star Shannon Sharpe. The 48-year old, who played in Superbowl XLVI in 2012, can clearly been seen in clips from the episode wearing a retro Hibernian shirt.
The top in question is the famous home shirt worn during the 1998/99 and 1999/2000 seasons. It was sponsored by beer giants Carlsberg, manufactured at the time by Le Coq Sportif, and featured a collar distinguishing shoulder and arm pattern.
His appearance in the iconic green and white had many Hibs fans in the comments section all asking the same question. Why was the NFL legend wearing the colours of their club?
Why was NFL legend Chad Ochocinco wearing a Hibs top?
Ochocinco, who was born Chad Johnson but changed his surname in tribute to the number 85 jersey he wore as a player, is a fan of association football. In fact, during the 2011 NFL lockout he even attempted to become a crossover athlete in the sport when he had a trial with Major League Soccer franchise Kansas City Chiefs.
After his American Football career has come to an end he signed for National Premier Soccer League side Boca Raton FC. He played there as a striker between 2018 and 2019.
He was an analyst for Fox Sports during the 2022 FIFA World Cup and, in 2023, he took part in The Soccer Tournament, playing for Nati SC. So it’s fair to say he has a much closer connection to the beautiful game than many who are unaware of his past might not have realised.
As to why he was specifically wearing a Hibs shirt, that remains unclear. It’s possible that he simply enjoyed the style of the top as previous episodes of the Nightcap podcast have seen him in sporting tops from the likes of Portuguese giants Sporting CP and Brazilian club Gremio.
You can watch the clip on X, formerly Twitter, where Ochocinco tells a joke asking what name you give to a basketball player with no shins. The punchline to the dad joke being ‘Tony’ (Toe-Knee).
Hibs 1998-2000 top - a fan favourite from the turn of the millennium
Hibs fans may mistakenly associate the shirt being worn by Ochocinco in the clip as the one from the famous 6-2 Edinburgh Derby win over Hearts in 2000. In fact, that was a slightly different top which was also manufactured by Le Coq Sportif and sponsored by Carlsberg but did not feature a collar or shoulder pattern.
However, the1998 to 2000 home shirt was still worn by a number of modern day Hibs legends and Easter Road favourites from the turn of the millennium including Franck Sauzee, Russell Latapy and Mixu Paatelainen. It was also the shirt worn as they finished top of the old First Division to win promotion to the SPL in 1999 and the subsequent season where they finished sixth in the top flight.