Former Detroit Lions’ wide receiver Calvin Johnson has been elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame as part of the 2021 class.
In addition to the Free Press’ Dave Birkett presenting Johnson’s resume to PFHOF voters, the Lions put together a wonderful “Case for Calvin” packet, illustrating why Johnson, despite this being his first opportunity for PFHOF consideration, did enough during his career that he should be honored in Canton.
Over Johnson’s nine seasons in Detroit, he achieved several notable accomplishments. Johnson holds 11 franchise records, including receptions (731), receiving yards (11,619), receiving touchdowns (83), and most average receiving yards per game (86.1).
Some of Johnson’s league-wide accomplishments include NFL receiving yards leader (2011 and 2012), NFL receptions leader (2012), NFL receiving touchdowns leader (2008), most receiving yards in a season (1,964), most receiving yards per game in a season (122.8) • highest receiving average in a season with 100 or more receptions (16.1), and most receiving yards through regulation of a game (329), which you can relive in the video below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1i4XkN0CXbs
Additionally, Johnson was a member of the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team, was a six-time Pro Bowl Selection, four-time All-Pro selection, three-Time AP First-Team All-Pro, and was voted the second-best player in the league in 2014:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pXLcDvwV7u8
In the Lions’ Case for Calvin packet, they reached out to some of the elite cornerbacks who faced off against Johnson, to get their perspective on what makes Johnson a deserving candidate in the PFHOF.
Here is a sampling of some of those quotes:
“I will always remember him as one of the only receivers for whom we had to tweak our game plans because none of us realistically could manage him alone. Calvin changed the way teams drafted defensive backs, and his play helped revolutionize the style of play and demands expected of wide receivers forever.” — Ronde Barber
“The guy has just been an unstoppable force year-in and year-out. Every time he was on the field, you had to know where he was. Calvin is a transcending player and did a lot of great things for this League.” — Patrick Peterson
“Calvin Johnson deserves to be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame because he’s a once in a lifetime, generational talent.” — Richard Sherman
“Size, speed, quickness, ball skills, physical, great hands, and he was great mentally. I remember knowing what he was going to do and still not being able to stop it because of his attributes.” — Aqib Talib
“Calvin was rare in the fact that he was one of a few guys that had his size, length, height, speed and body control to be able to put it all together and make it work. That’s how you get the name Megatron.” — Charles Woodson
“He was built like a tight end, but he could run routes just like a little guy. For a guy to be that big, it’s kind of rare. In the Madden games, you can create a player, and I’ve said this many times; he is, in my opinion, the LeBron James of football.” — Charles “Peanut Tillman
Tillman also wrote an open letter to Johnson after retirement and collaborated with NFL Films to produce the video below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bto008kchnk
We at Lions Wire thoroughly enjoyed every second of Calvin Johnson’s career and wish to extend our heartfelt congratulations on his election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.