Arguably one of the three greatest players in Detroit Lions team history, receiver Calvin Johnson retired in 2016, and was subsequently asked to pay back a portion of the signing bonus from his 2011 contract extension, which reportedly more than $1 million.
This has led to an ongoing rift between Johnson and the Lions. The embattled future Hall of Famer has stated his thoughts – in order for there to be a reconciliation, the team must pay him back the money.
While fans and media remain divided on whose side they should take, Johnson’s former teammate Nate Burleson made it clear who’s side he’s on.
“I agree with him 100 percent,” Burleson said during a recent appearance on the Lefkoe show. “You guys know I’m a Lion, through and through, but I saw this coming. The writing was on the wall. It’s funny how history repeats itself.
How do you approach a player — Barry Sanders, Calvin Johnson — that gave you so much? And not just in the moment, let’s just think about the impact they have on this organization when it comes to selling their likeness, the images, the videos, the jerseys, the highlights, helping recruit players. All these different things come into play.
So that million dollars, it pales in comparison to what Calvin is still bringing into this team from a revenue standpoint.”
Burleson would like to see the two sides work things out, but he’s clearly supporting his former teammate.
“I feel like it should be one of those cases that you hear about, but when it’s all said and it done, it just goes away and you just hear that a settlement was made,” he said. “Behind closed doors. In the NFL world, this is a hot case and we’re all waiting to hear what the Lions are going to say and if Calvin Johnson is going to work his way back.
“Not only is he an ambassador, but maybe he comes back more often, he’s part of the organization, maybe he’s in the front office,” Burleson said. “He’s in Michigan a ton, he has a lot of business going on, he’s doing things in the community. How is he there talking to the kids and not talking to the team? That’s the Lions’ fault.”
