Former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson claims that he lived inside the team's stadium during the first two seasons of his NFL career.

Johnson said that he opted to make the Bengals' stadium (then known as Paul Brown Stadium but currently called Paycor Stadium) his home instead of buying a house or renting an apartment. 

“You gotta remember, I stayed at the stadium the first two years because I didn’t want to spend no money,” Chad Johnson told Shannon Sharpe on “Club Shay Shay.”

“What’s the point? Why are you telling me to go rent a house, go buy a house, or go rent a condo when everything I need is right here in the facility?

“Showers, cafeteria, TV, couch, gaming system. What’s the point? I was so locked in. It wasn’t about having my own space.”

Did Johnson actually live in the Bengals' stadium? It's hard to believe given his financial situation, though the NFL star has been known to save his money. Johnson was also one of the most interesting characters during his time in the league.

Johnson certainly wasn't hurting for cash when the Bengals made him the No. 36 overall pick in the 2001 NFL Draft. Johnson had a $301,000 base salary for his rookie season with a $1.436 million signing bonus. During his second year with the Bengals, during which he supposedly still lived at the stadium, Johnson made $376,250.

If Johnson actually lived inside the Bengals' stadium during his first two NFL seasons, he didn't have a home during a time when he was one of the league's best receivers. The 2002 season was Johnson's breakout campaign. Johnson ranked 15th among all players with 1,166 receiving yards during his second year in the league.

Johnson legally changed his name to Chad Ochocinco in 2008. A few years later, the star receiver went back to being called Johnson.

Over the course of his 11-year NFL career, Johnson made nearly $49 million.