"Who Dey vs. Who Dat this sunday, who are you going with in this game?" Ochocinco wrote. "Thinking of fighting Darren Sharper in pre-game just because i can win."
Ochocinco later posted that he will "use the fine money after our fight n donate it to the United Way Fund" and later, in the same post, "It's on now."
Sharper responded by urging Ochocinco not to embarrass himself, then offered some tough talk of his own when reporters asked if he and the Bengals' flamboyant receiver were just joking.
"You'll see when his helmet comes off on the first time I hit him whether it's fun -- see how much smiling there's going to be happening then. Then you'll see if it's fun or if it's games," Sharper said. "I don't play games when it comes to the field. You tell Ochocinco that you got to see me on Sunday. Believe it, Twitter king."
Ochocinco, who has made a reputation during his 10 seasons as both an elite receiver and one of the NFL's leading self-promoters, has about 1.5 million Twitter followers. The receiver also has made the good-natured ribbing of an upcoming opponent on Twitter one of his almost weekly routines.
Sharper, a 2009 All-Pro in his 14th season, engaged in a similar Twitter spat with Vikings tight end Visanthe Shiancoe before New Orleans' regular-season opener against Minnesota.
During his back-and-forth with Ochocinco, Sharper posted a photo of the Super Bowl ring from the Saints' championship last season. Ochocinco then posted that the sight of the photo left him in an "unstable emotional state."
Copyright 2010 by The Associated Press
