Calvin Johnson seemed to have been patiently awaiting the perfect moment, and it finally arrived.
The legendary retired Detroit Lions player, Calvin Johnson, gained attention for a message he shared with the team on Sunday. In January 2021, Johnson, a six-time Pro Bowl receiver, received the news of being a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Although the Lions congratulated him on their official X (formerly Twitter) page at that time, Johnson chose to publicly acknowledge the post nearly three years later, on a Sunday.
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Expressing his gratitude, Johnson wrote, “Much appreciated. Thanks for the continuous support! Love my city!”
The significance of the timing becomes apparent when considering that the Lions officially secured the NFC North title on that very Sunday with a 30-24 victory over the Minnesota Vikings. This victory marked Detroit’s first division win since 1993, evoking strong emotions among the current players on the team.
Having played his entire NFL career in Detroit from 2007 to 2015, Johnson’s abrupt retirement at the age of 30 was followed by a longstanding dispute with the Lions. The disagreement reportedly revolved around the team demanding a portion of his signing bonus back after his departure. Whether Johnson deliberately held off on responding to avoid jinxing the team or adopted an “Alec Baldwin in ‘Glengarry Glen Ross'” approach, wanting Detroit to achieve success before acknowledging them again, the Lions now seem to have reclaimed Megatron’s approval.