Former Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson is officially a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, having been inducted as a first-ballot player and becoming only the third wideout given the honor in the past 25 years.
But don’t expect him to take all of the credit.
During an interview with NFL Network earlier today, Johnson praised his teammates with Detroit and said that he’s sharing the well-deserved honor with them.
“They played a huge part in it,” Johnson explained. “I think the best thing for me was when I communicated with those guys—I think I talked to them Friday, the day before (the announcement), because I didn’t want it to get out. I told those guys on the offensive line, most of the guys I had relationships with, ‘We made it. We in there.’”
Johnson was then asked when he really thought about a potential future place in the Hall during his career.
“Not until everyone mentions it, really,” he said. “I remember during my career…Coach (Jim) Caldwell said it one time in a team meeting, saying ‘That’s a Hall of Fame player’ and was alluding to something that happened during a game or practice.”
“I’m sitting there like, ‘Man, wouldn’t that be nice?’”
Among Johnson’s career accolades include sporting the best three year stretch by a receiver in NFL history. A three time All-Pro selection, he holds the NFL season record for receiving yards with 1,964.
His Relationship with the Lions since calling it a career in 2016, however, has been strained.
– – Quotes via Detroit Lions official website Link – –
