It’s now official. The Detroit Lions have announced that Calvin Johnson is indeed retiring. Johnson’s decision ends weeks of agonizing speculation.
Here is Calvin’s official press release, which I obtained via a message blast but is also available on NFL.com:
"“Let me begin by apologizing for making this announcement via a statement and not in person. While I truly respect the significance of this, those who know me best will understand and not be surprised that I choose not to have a press conference for this announcement.“After much prayer, thought and discussion with loved ones, I have made the difficult decision to retire from the Lions and pro football. I have played my last game of football.“Let me assure you that this was not an easy or hasty decision. As I stated, I, along with those closest to me, have put a lot of time, deliberation and prayer into this decision and I truly am at peace with it.“I also want you to know that I have the utmost respect and admiration for the game of football. It has provided so much for me and my family and I will be forever grateful to the game.“With the reality of my decision, I realize there are a lot of people I would like to thank. I must start with my family — thank you for all your love and support.“I also want to especially thank Mrs. Ford and the Ford Family for all their support over the years. They are tremendous owners and I loved playing for them. I would also like to recognize Mr. Ford, who I was honored to know and play for before he passed away.“While it would be hard to name them all, I would also like to thank all of my teammates past and present.“I also want to thank all of my coaches who I played for, in particular Coach Caldwell for his support, wisdom and guidance over the past two seasons. I loved playing for Coach Caldwell.“There are so many other people I would like to recognize and thank for what they have done for me throughout my career, but rather than risk forgetting someone, I will simply say ‘thanks’ to everyone.“And finally, to the fans of Detroit and Michigan. I so appreciated your passionate support over the years and truly enjoyed playing for you. I loved playing in Detroit and will forever be a Lion. My biggest regret is that I wasn’t able to help give our fans a championship. But I do believe the future of the Lions is bright and with the leadership from people like Rod Wood and Bob Quinn, who I have gotten to know over the past few months, I am confident that our fans will soon be rewarded with the championship you deserve.“From the bottom of my heart I thank you all for everything.”"
Johnson leaves at age 30 as one of the most prolific receivers in NFL history. In his nine seasons in Detroit, Megatron averaged 86.1 receiving yards per game, ranking second all-time. His 1,964 yards in 2012 is the NFL record for a single season.
A first-round pick from Georgia Tech back in 2007, Johnson made the last six Pro Bowls and three All-Pro first teams. In his final year, the 6’5″ Combine workout legend snagged 88 passes for 1214 yards and 9 touchdowns.
The Lions have had time to plan for this inevitability. With free agency starting 24 hours after Johnson’s announcement, they now have $40M to spend. Certainly some of that will go towards filling Johnson’s ample shoes.
Thanks for the memories, Calvin!