Chad Johnson may have been known for his lighting-fast footwork on the field, but, in retirement, he’s not lacking in the strength category—and has clearly taken an interest in pumping iron.

According to Johnson, he’s been on an eight-month strength-training crusade, and he seems to think he’s on the heels of the reigning Mr. Olympia champ Phil Heath, who will be going for his eighth consecutive title later on this year. “I’ll see you on stage in September, there will be a new Mr. Olympia 2018,” Johnson joked to Heath in an Instagram caption.

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The two have shared some encouraging words with one another in the past on social media, and in the clip below, the friendly battle continues.

Warning: The clip contains some NSFW language.

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Yo @philheath I’m on your heels, 8 months out ??

A post shared by Chad Johnson (@ochocinco) on

He also posted another clip, this time calling out rapper Jim Jones, who’s also into the gym lifestyle. You can take a look at his Instagram here.

Johnson had a playing weight of under 200lbs, but these workouts are without a doubt impressive feats for a 40-year-old retired baller. Will Johnson actually catch up to “The Gift”? You never know. Either way, a workout video featuring these two would be hilarious, for sure.

The 2018 Mr. Olympia is set to take place in Las Vegas, NV, on September 14-15.

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