Chad Johnson receives work permit to play for Montreal Alouettes in CFL

Chad Johnson has been out of football since he was cut by the Miami Dolphins before the 2012 season. (Doug Murray/Icon SMI)

What once appeared to be nothing more than a simple joke on Twitter has turned into far more, as former NFL wide receiver Chad Johnson has finally made his way to the training camp of the CFL's Montreal Alouettes.

Johnson, who had suggested on social media he'd be more than happy to play for the Alouettes, received an invite to work out for the franchise in April. Members of the Montreal front office were impressed with Johnson's skills and offered the wideout a chance to join the club. The only problem? Johnson didn't have a work permit to enter Canada, and the legal trouble that helped end his NFL career was viewed as a potential roadblock to his CFL future.

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With the bureaucratic paperwork finally sorted out, Johnson is able to debut with his new team, according to Yahoo Sports.

In a text, Als GM Jim Popp told the Shutdown Corner that Johnson received his permit on Tuesday and that he is "at camp as we speak."

Johnson, 36, signed with the Alouettes back in April after taking the past two years away from football. The bare-bones contract includes no incentives, and Popp previously said that Johnson just wanted to play football.