Calvin Johnson Jr. was one of the biggest names of the Detroit Lions, having spent nine glorious years with the team. Fondly nicknamed ‘Megatron’, the wide receiver is now to be inducted into the ‘Pride of Lions’ during the halftime of the upcoming Lions vs. Seahawks matchup. In light of this announcement, the Michigan governor made another exciting reveal.
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Johnson will now have a day named in his honor! Gretchen Whitmer made the announcement on her social media along with a highlight reel of the wide receiver’s performance. The governor informed that Sept 30, being the athlete’s induction into the ‘Ring of Honor’, will be recognized as Megatron Day.
Whitmer referred to Johnson as “one of the greatest wide receivers of all time” and called his Transformer moniker to be the “coolest.” She ended her post by writing, “Megatron brought magic to the field every game.”
I’m excited to proclaim today as Megatron Day as we celebrate the @Lions legend, the one and only @calvinjohnsonjr. One of the greatest wide receivers of all time and still rocking the coolest nickname in sports history, Megatron brought magic to the field every game #OnePride pic.twitter.com/K3tbmdgxr3
— Governor Gretchen Whitmer (@GovWhitmer) September 30, 2024
Fans were delighted to hear the announcement and didn’t shy away from expressing their thought about it. Most fans expressed their love and support for the athlete and the Lions, with one even joking about how it was Johnson who inspired the Megatron character.
Love it, GO LIONS!!!!
— Warren Lee (@unkizms) September 30, 2024
Possibly the only NFL player to have a Transformer toy named after him.
— Colin MacDonald (@cwllm1230) September 30, 2024
Some fans believed that the date for the honorary day should’ve been the 8th of January, referencing Johnson’s iconic jersey number.
Shouldn’t that be 8/1?
— Midge (@MitchellBorin) September 30, 2024
Another internet user questioned the logic behind the date being set on Sept 30 instead of the 29th, which happens to be the receiver’s birthday.
This is awesome, but why not yesterday on his birthday?
— (((robingillis)))✡ (@sweepybuns) September 30, 2024
As fans debate the date set for celebrating Megatron Day, there is a specific reason behind it being September 30th.
Calvin Johnson’s ‘Megatron Day’
Earlier in July this year, it was announced by the franchise that the former Lions star would be the 21st athlete to receive the Ring of Honor. The ‘Pride of the Lions’ was established in 2019 to honor the best players of the franchise who have contributed to making the team successful. Johnson undoubtedly fills the role, being the franchise leader in catching passes, passing yards, and touchdowns.
Since the ceremony will be held on Sept. 30, during the halftime of Monday’s ‘homecoming’ game, the day is set to be remembered as ‘Megatron’ day. The receiver was given the nickname owing to his on-field “robotic and machine-like abilities.”
This honor also marks the end of the tiff between the franchise and the WR. Upon his untimely retirement in 2015, Johnson was forced to pay over $1 million to the team. However, it seems that both parties have since buried the hatchet.
