At halftime of Monday night's game against the Seattle Seahawks, the Detroit Lions will induct Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson into their Ring of Honor. He will be the 21st member of the "Pride of the Lions", and the honor is somewhat a culmination of the repaired relationship between he and the organization in recent years after he retired suddenly in 2015.
Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer has taken the honoring of Johnson a step further. Monday has been officially proclaimed Megatron Day, named of course after Johnson's famous nickname.
"Calvin Johnson is one of the greatest receivers of all time and embodies what it means to be a Detroit Lion. He plays hard on the field and shows up for the community. Not only did he lead the Lions to two NFL playoffs and routinely jumped out of the stadium to make catches no one else would dream of, but he also runs a youth football camp and launched a non-profit that provides scholarships for students and support for small businesses," said Whitmer, via a press release. "Today, Calvin Johnson will join the Pride of the Lions and I am excited to officially declare Megatron Day in the great state of Michigan in his honor. As we cheer for the Lions this season, let’s keep living by Calvin’s example and be team players both on and off the field. Go Lions!”
I’m excited to proclaim today as Megatron Day as we celebrate the @Lions legend, the one and only @calvinjohnsonjr. One of the greatest wide receivers of all time and still rocking the coolest nickname in sports history, Megatron brought magic to the field every game #OnePride pic.twitter.com/K3tbmdgxr3
— Governor Gretchen Whitmer (@GovWhitmer) September 30, 2024
Sept. 30 is Megatron Day in Michigan, honoring Lions' Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson
Via the same press release from the governor's office, Johnson responded to the honor bestowed on him by Whitmer.
"I’ve lived nearly half of my life in Michigan and consider this home and playing for the fans of the Detroit Lions was one of the best things about being in the National Football League,” “Entering the Pride of the Lions on Megatron Day alongside my family, friends, and former teammates is an incredible honor that I’ll always cherish.”
The atmosphere at Ford Field on Monday night is going to be electric, with Johnson's halftime honor as an added layer. But before that, Happy Megatron Day to those who celebrate.