The Detroit Lions will try to mend the team’s relationship with former star receiver Calvin Johnson.
Megatron abruptly retired after the 2015 season, and the relationship has been a bit icy ever since the team made him repay $1 million of his signing bonus. Star players often don’t repay signing bonus money when retiring, but the Lions chose a different path. Now, the team will do what it can to make the situation with Johnson better.
Team president Rod Wood said the following Wednesday when discussing rehabbing situation between Johnson and the Lions, according to The Detroit News:
I haven’t really talked to Calvin in the last little bit. It’s kind of funny that you asked. I had it on my agenda today to talk internally about some things to re-approach him about getting back involved. That’s on the agenda this year, reaching out to him. We have Barry coming in this week for a couple events and I want to try to find a way to do something similar to what we’ve been doing with Barry (Sanders), if Calvin would be interested … It’s a very high priority.
Given the fact the Lions, a team I will always love, wasted Johnson’s career, I think the least they could do is mend the bridge between the two sides. (RELATED: Here’s A Glorious Video Of Matthew Stafford Throwing 56 Touchdowns To Calvin Johnson)
The man was one of the top three or two players in the history of the team, and he simply wasn’t treated with the respect he deserved.
Personally, I’ve got him as the second best ever behind Barry Sanders, and he might be the most physically gifted player ever in NFL history at his position.
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I hope like hell Johnson is welcomed back with open arms by the organization. There’s no doubt at all he deserves to be treated with respect and held in the highest regard.
He’s a hero among the fans, and it’s incredibly difficult to reach that kind of a status as a player. He put his body on the line for years, and the team didn’t do anything with his unreal skills.
Let’s all hope the situation gets rectified and Johnson continues to enjoy retirement. He’s done more than enough to deserve it.