Detroit Lions star wide receiver Calvin Johnson reportedly told his family and close circle of friends prior to the season that 2015 would be he last year in the NFL. Johnson is said to have told Lions head coach Jim Caldwell the same.
Caldwell told Johnson not to rush to a decision, and to take time this offseason to figure it out, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Shortly after the regular season Johnson stated that he was evaluating his future options, but it sounds like the dynamic playmaker already had his mind made up prior to the end of the year.
The Lions have still not given up hope that Johnson will return in 2016, but the Lions star wide receiver already shared his decision to call it a career with quarterback Matthew Stafford and linebacker Stephen Tulloch. Players around the league are reacting to the report and Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson was one of the first to send out a statement regarding his respect for the Lions wide receiver.
Johnson is coming off another dominant season in which he recorded 88 receptions for 1,214 yards and scored 9 touchdowns. In nine seasons with the Lions, Johnson recorded 731 receptions for 11,619 yards and scored 83 touchdowns. Johnson sits in 27th on the all time receiving yards list, and holds the NFL single-season record for receiving yards with 1,964 yards in 2012.
Lions fans have had dealt with another star walking away in their prime when running back Barry Sanders left the game after just 10 seasons. While it's not official that Johnson is done with football, it seems like NFL fans have likely seen Megatron for the last time in NFL uniform.
