PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania : Chad Johnson was suspended by the Cincinnati Bengals for Thursday's National Football League game against Pittsburgh for an unspecified violation of team rules.

The announcement came just hours before Johnson was set to play his 114th consecutive game for the Bengals, who have struggled to only one victory and a draw in 10 games.

Johnson, who has caught 41 passes for 383 yards and four touchdowns, will likely be replaced by Chris Henry opposite T.J. Houshmandzadeh for the Bengals, who had already lost receiver Antonio Chatman for the season to a back injury.

The benching is the latest in an odd year for Johnson, who demanded to be traded in April and threatened to sit out the entire 2008 season, then came to a training camp and underwent right ankle surgery to remove bone spurs.

Johnson, 30, dislocated his left shoulder in a pre-season exhibition but started the team's opener against Baltimore, before which he declared he would legally change his name to Chad Ocho Cinco - Spanish for his jersey number 85.

Johnson has had more than 1,000 receiving yards in each of the past six seasons but that run, like his consecutive games streak, appears to be over. - AFP/de