The Detroit Lions are living rent free in Calvin Johnson’s head
By Bob Heyrman
Former Detroit Lions Hall Of Fame wide receiver Calvin Johnson can’t get the organization out of his mind.
This is a storyline that just won’t end.
I’m now convinced we’ll hear about this for the rest of our lives. At one time, I was firmly on Johnson’s side, but this nonsense needs to stop. It’s time to let bygones be bygones and put all of this behind us.
Recently Johnson joined former teammate and now business partner Rob Sims on the Woodward Sports Network, claiming he is not part of the Lions family and doesn’t expect that to change. This just a few weeks after it seemed the two sides were mending fences. It’s deplorable how this relationship ended, but there comes a day and time all parties involved need to move on.
The relationship between the Detroit Lions and Calvin Johnson is like a soap opera that just won’t end.
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After abruptly calling it quits in the midst of his massive seven-year contract that totaled $113.5 million, Detroit Lions forced the best pass-catcher the franchise ever saw to return a plethora of bonus money they had previously paid. We’re now six years removed from the situation, but Johnson is still popping off about how things went down, which led to his eventual retirement.
A battered Johnson had always mentioned that he felt the Detroit Lions failed to put his health first and foremost. In the past, Johnson had mentioned the concussions continued to mount, and the organization had requested he’d alter his story regarding a 2012 concussion which would allow him to return to the game.
Johnson also has mentioned that he’s suffered at least nine concussions over his nine NFL seasons and claims that would be a conservative number.
I recall the story, and at the time, I thought the Detroit Lions were a bit bush league demanding Johnson return upwards of $1.6 million in salary bonus money. Business is business, but it’s just not something you often see especially surrounding a player of this stature.
While on WSN earlier this week, Johnson also mentioned that he’s happy Matthew Stafford ‘got out’ of Detroit. You could feel the animosity watching the interview. Johnson then mentioned he asked the Lions to release or trade him, but they refused, forcing him to retire.
He’d also mention with a smirk that he would have played anywhere else, which also suggests that Johnson’s career-ending injuries were not, in fact, as serious as he initially led on.
I once chose the side of Megatron, but I can’t feel sorry for him anymore.
He quit on the Lions.
Maybe he was sick of losing, maybe he didn’t want to play for coach Jim Caldwell, and maybe he didn’t trust the training staff anymore, but don’t forget, no one forced him to sign that lucrative seven-year contract extension.
Next. Aaron Rodgers may really be finished in Green Bay. dark
Johnson amassed 11,619 yards on 731 career receptions totaling 83 touchdowns during his nine-year NFL career.