Detroit Lions: A letter to Calvin Johnson, a Hall of Famer and role model
By Pat Pitts
The Detroit Lions saw former wide receiver, Calvin Johnson, become enshrined in the National Football Hall of Fame. It was a long time coming and should not have shocked anyone. However, Calvin Johnson was more than a Hall of Famer, he was a role model off the field as well.
That being said, here’s a letter to former Detroit Lions great Calvin Johnson.
No three-year-old kid dreams about being a sports broadcaster. I do not know any four-year-old child who recreated the final drive of Super Bowl 36 in a hotel lobby to pass the time. I have yet to meet a third-grade student that during their “States of America” project, they fell in love with the city’s professional sports teams; that kid is still obsessed with Detroit teams; the Detroit Lions to be exact.
I am that kid.
I knew I was different at a very young age. While kids played with trucks, I sat with my dad and watched the Boston Red Sox. Kids watch morning cartoons; I never missed an episode of Sportscenter. I am a proud member of Patriot Nation but also feel a connection with another organization. An organization that is known for its failures rather than success.
When I was a sophomore in high school, my fandom of the Lions grew from outside support into a connection with a new team. I watched the Lions play on Sundays with some friends. They laughed at their mistakes, but I only watched one man; one player stood out for a lot of different reasons. He looked as if he was not from this planet. So when I heard the name, it all made sense.
Calvin “Megatron” Johnson is the reason I started to become a fan of the Detroit Lions.
The 6-foot-5 wide receiver grabbed my attention each week. Stafford tossed deep ball after deep ball to him. Whether it was one or even three defenders, Megatron made the play every time. He ran routes exceptionally well for a man of his size; he ran routes exceptionally well, which added another aspect opposing defenses needed to comprise a particular gameplan.
Watching his college highlights on an endless loop in college was common for me. But, one play stands out after all these years. Megatron ran a slant over the middle. The quarterback threw the pass behind him. He reached back and made the play to the surprise of everyone watching. That pass is incomplete 99% of the time, but not on Megatron’s watch.