(Photo by Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images)
Calvin Johnson could’ve gone down as a top-three wide receiver in NFL history.
The legendary wideout was one of the most dominant and imposing forces in the league in his prime, willing the Detroit Lions up and down the field week in and week out.
The Lions weren’t exactly a good team during Johnson’s playing days, but he was still putting up video game-like numbers more often than not.
That’s why it was a major surprise to see him retire at just 30 years old when he was still in his prime physically, or so it seemed.
Apparently, Megatron was barely coping with the physical burdens that come with the game of football.
In a tell-all interview with Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson, Johnson revealed that the game had taken a huge physical toll on him and he just couldn’t take it anymore:
“I’d wake up in the morning and drag my feet across the floor to the bathroom,” Megatron said. “I would shower just to get my body warmed up but literally drag my feet flat because my ankles were always swollen.”
Even despite all that, the former No. 2 pick was still able to post six consecutive seasons with 1,000 receiving yards, topping that mark in seven out of the nine years he played in the NFL.
He still holds the records for the most receiving yards in a single season (1,964) and most consecutive games with at least 100 receiving yards (8).
Johnson walked away from the game with 731 receptions for 11,619 yards and 83 receiving touchdowns, all while averaging 15.9 yards per reception.
He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, and it’ll always be sad to wonder how his career could’ve panned out somewhere else.
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