Former NFL star leaves heartfelt note — and hefty tip — at NC restaurant, photo shows

A former NFL player left a heartfelt note — and a hefty tip — at a North Carolina restaurant, a photo shows.

Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson was in Greensboro when he racked up a $24.39 restaurant bill. But instead of tipping about 20%, he added another $1,000 to his total, according to a picture of a receipt he shared on Twitter on Wednesday, Aug. 3.

The post had the caption “Proverbs 11:25,” a line of scripture that reads: “A generous person will prosper; whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.”

The receipt showed Johnson had dined at Stephanie’s Restaurant II, which serves soul food classics. A person who answered the phone at the restaurant declined to comment to McClatchy News on Aug. 4.

Johnson said he was in North Carolina for an 800-meter race at Truist Stadium on the campus of N.C. Agricultural and Technical State University, where AAU Junior Olympic Games track and field events have been held over the past week. His daughter, Cha’iel Johnson, is an accomplished track athlete, the Miami Herald reported in 2017.

“Headed down to Greensboro to give my baby her pep talk before today’s 800 meter final + a little added incentive if she comes in first,” the former NFL star wrote Aug. 3 on Twitter.

He later posted a photo of the receipt showing his generous tip. Also handwritten on the receipt were the words “I love you” as well as a nod to his football career.

“I once scored 6 touchdowns in Madden using myself,” he wrote, in reference to the Madden video game.

Johnson, who had previously changed his last name to Ochocinco, was a wide receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals and the New England Patriots. His 11-year NFL career ended in 2011, according to the Pro Football Reference website.

Johnson is no stranger to paying it forward. In May 2020, he left a big tip at a Florida restaurant that had reopened for dining after a coronavirus-related shutdown, according to the Miami Herald.

His latest move garnered fans on social media.

“Random kindness and kind gestures, big or small, go a very long way,” one Twitter user commented. “You never know what someone is dealing with in life — and that can be a ‘wow’ moment.”

Another person wrote: “I was once a server. Seeing things like this is so touching.”

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