Calvin Johnson was considered to be one of the best wide receivers in the league from 2006 to 2015. The former Detroit Lions star was aptly nicknamed ‘Megatron’ because of his big built and ability to bamboozle his opponents with utter ease. However, Calvin raised quite a few eyebrows when he decided to retire despite being in the prime of his career. As expected, many people tried finding the reason behind his sudden departure from the league.
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The Lions selected Johnson with the second overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. He was considered to be a generational talent. At 6-foot-5, the former Yellow Jackets WR ran a 4.34 40-yard dash. Needless to say, his presence on the field intimidated a lot of his opponents.
In addition to that, the superstar receiver started delivering sensational performances right from his rookie season, which earned him a spot in the 2007 PFWA All-Rookie Team. He then went on to play quite well for a few more seasons. So, why did the six-time Pro Bowler retire?
Calvin Johnson retired controversially in 2016
By 2015, Johnson was one of the most elite athletes in the league. Even though Detroit could not win championships, the former wide-out was always their go-to player. This became even more apparent when the Lions decided to rebuild the team in 2010. They kept the star WR on the roster despite making several big changes.
However, Calvin always knew that he was going to hang up his cleats after the 2015 season. He thought it would be best to keep the news of his destitute status a secret from his teammates and the media. As expected, the announcement shocked the NFL world. Mostly because Johnson was only 30 years old and in his prime years.
His abrupt retirement was due to the fact that he “simply lost his love for the game,” as reported by Yardbarker. The double-teams, triple-teams and heavy hits made him think of re-think his priorities and he eventually ended up retiring.
You cannot watch Calvin Johnson play football and think there has ever been a better receiver. The only reason he isn’t the undisputed greatest is because he retired at 29. pic.twitter.com/LofHvpJrP9
— DaveLos (@dlpj26) May 7, 2023
Additionally, the other reason attributed to his retirement was the Lions’ inability to win championship games. As per ESPN’s report, referring to his retirement, Calvin had once stated, “My agreement with Detroit bound me, and they informed me that they would not sever it, forcing me to return to them.”
“At the time, I didn’t think they had a chance to win a Super Bowl, and for the effort I was making, it wasn’t worthwhile to keep pounding my head against a brick wall in vain. It is the height of insanity,” he had added. Johnson traveled to Georgia in order to talk to his father about his retirement and decided it would be best if he stayed away from the league.
Is Johnson a Pro Football Hall of Famer?
As previously mentioned, Johnson was a generational talent, and he showed every bit of his skilled self on the field. The Matthew Stafford-Calvin Johnson era is still termed one of the best, even though Detroit failed to win a championship during that time.
Calvin broke several records and earned innumerable accolades for his work on the field. This made him a first-ballot Hall of Famer. In 2021, Johnson was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Although he did not retire with the best numbers on the all-time list, what he accomplished in his short career is nothing short of spectacular.
