By Mark Curnutte
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Receiver Chad Johnson likes what he sees from Marvin Lewis and the Bengals. (Michael E. Keating photo)

Chad Johnson came to work Thursday a wealthier and more subdued football player, both believed to be largely the work of Marvin Lewis.

Not in recent memory have the Bengals extended so early the contract of one of their players. Johnson, a burgeoning superstar wide receiver who leads the NFL with a 16.8-yard per catch average, was signed through the 2004 season (a span of 23 more games).

On Wednesday, he received a $12.5 million signing bonus on a five-year contract extension worth $26 million that will make him a Bengal through 2009.

The most recent contract extensions given to Bengal players were signed in the offseason before the final season of the contract. Right tackle Willie Anderson signed a six-year extension in May 2000, and linebacker Brian Simmons received a six-year extension in August 2002.

"I've got to keep working hard for that next one," a soft-spoken Johnson said before Thursday afternoon's practice. "I want to play until I'm 40. ... I've got a long way to go. I don't know if I'm going to last that long. If God keeps me injury free, I'll be here."

Lewis declined Thursday to comment on Johnson's extension. Members of the Brown family, which owns the team, no longer speak to the media.

But Lewis' influence is believed to have been key in getting the deal done - just as it was in signing rookie quarterback Carson Palmer on April 24, two days before the team selected him first overall in the NFL draft. The organization apparently initiated contract talks with Johnson.

The handling of the Palmer deal told Johnson he wanted to stay in Cincinnati under Lewis' direction.

"From right there on I wasn't budging," Johnson said. "It has completely flipped around. The draft, the signing early (and) the whole talk about how things weren't always right. When I saw that, I knew it was different."

Asked if Lewis were the change agent, Johnson said, "I would guess so. I'm sure it is."

Many of Johnson's teammates praised the deal for the third-year player who has given the offense a vertical passing game that had been missing for many years. The extension is good for Johnson, they said, and a beacon that should help attract top veteran players.

"Free agents around the league can say, 'Tampa Bay takes care of their guys two years early. Cincinnati, Marvin's got them thinking like the rest of the league,' " said Anderson, who also wanted to clarify that apparently critical comments he made Wednesday about Johnson were in jest.

Peter Warrick has teamed with Johnson to give the Bengals a duo that's fourth in receiving yards in the league and on pace to establish a franchise record with 2,260.

"I'm proud of him. He worked hard for it. He's blessed," said Warrick, signed through 2006.

The week has been a big one for Johnson. He's attracted national attention for guaranteeing a Bengals victory Sunday over 9-0 Kansas City.

"Everybody kind of blew everything out of proportion," Johnson said of the guarantee. "We match up well with (Kansas City) across the board. That's more like where I should have gone with it. I feel we're going to play well."

Johnson said an "older person" in the organization made him realize how his comments could negatively affect the team and his teammates.

"Kind of opened up my eyes," Johnson said of the person, widely believed to be Lewis. "People are going to hear it, see it and read it and have a different opinion. So this will be my last guarantee."

E-mail mcurnutte@enquirer.com