Thread: Calvin Johnson planning on retiring after 9 seasons

Adam Schefter ‏@AdamSchefter 1h1 hour ago
Calvin Johnson told family 2015 would be his final year and delivered same message to Jim Caldwell after season ended, sources told ESPN.

Adam Schefter ‏@AdamSchefter 1h1 hour ago
Calvin Johnson told Lions he plans to retire. Full story on ESPN:

http://es.pn/1POiQqw http://fb.me/46r4t4xNa

Adam Schefter ‏@AdamSchefter 1h1 hour ago
Important to note: Caldwell told Calvin Johnson not to rush decision, to take time. Out of respect to Caldwell, Johnson agreed to do that.




Kindof a surprise. Going the Barry Sanders route. Is he a HOFer?

It's his right and decision but if I had his talent I think I'd play until they forced me off of the field. Some guys are playing football for the money, others are playing because the love of the game. I fully believe Calvin isn't having a good time playing in Detroit. If he played for a team like NE, Den, GB or Pitt then I think he would love football again. He has had a QB with career ups and downs but if he had a franchise QB on a playoff team he would be happy again.

Originally Posted by DenBronx

It's his right and decision but if I had his talent I think I'd play until they forced me off of the field. Some guys are playing football for the money, others are playing because the love of the game. I fully believe Calvin isn't having a good time playing in Detroit. If he played for a team like NE, Den, GB or Pitt then I think he would love football again. He has had a QB with career ups and downs but if he had a franchise QB on a playoff team he would be happy again.

Agreed.

I think the same thing happened to Barry. They just happen to be playing for a team that cant get over the hump so i dont think its much fun for them. Problem is because of their contracts they were unable to get out of them to go elsewhere so it was either keep playing and not having fun or retire. Kind of funny it happened with two guys from the Lions though.

Originally Posted by aberdien

Adam Schefter ‏@AdamSchefter 1h1 hour ago
Calvin Johnson told family 2015 would be his final year and delivered same message to Jim Caldwell after season ended, sources told ESPN.

Adam Schefter ‏@AdamSchefter 1h1 hour ago
Calvin Johnson told Lions he plans to retire. Full story on ESPN:

http://es.pn/1POiQqw http://fb.me/46r4t4xNa

Adam Schefter ‏@AdamSchefter 1h1 hour ago
Important to note: Caldwell told Calvin Johnson not to rush decision, to take time. Out of respect to Caldwell, Johnson agreed to do that.




Kindof a surprise. Going the Barry Sanders route. Is he a HOFer?

Nope. No HOF in my opinion. Didn't play long enough, not enough postseason, etc.

He was so close to being a Bronco. Too bad.

Originally Posted by Davii

Nope. No HOF in my opinion. Didn't play long enough, not enough postseason, etc.

He was the most dominant WR in the NFL for nearly a decade. He's getting in. Also, I think the postseason thing should be completely irrelevant for non-QBs. A WR alone will never be enough to will a team to playoff wins. It's not his fault he was stuck on the Lions his whole career, just like Sanders.

Originally Posted by tomjonesrocks

He was so close to being a Bronco. Too bad.

How was he close to being a Bronco? I honestly don't know the story.

Originally Posted by chazoe60

How was he close to being a Bronco? I honestly don't know the story.

In '07 and a few articles since it was written that Shanahan (who wanted Johnson badly) had the Lions - burned by drafting multiple 1st Round WRs in the past - at an agreement to trade their pick to Denver.

I did a quick Google but got too many errant hits. It's out there. I had read it was basically done and fell through at the last second.

Originally Posted by BroncoWave

He was the most dominant WR in the NFL for nearly a decade. He's getting in. Also, I think the postseason thing should be completely irrelevant for non-QBs. A WR alone will never be enough to will a team to playoff wins. It's not his fault he was stuck on the Lions his whole career, just like Sanders.

Yes and no. He could of left after his initial contract was up. Those are the kinds of things you have to weigh when you due for a new contract. Do you want the money or to play for a contender?

Originally Posted by BroncoWave

He was the most dominant WR in the NFL for nearly a decade. He's getting in. Also, I think the postseason thing should be completely irrelevant for non-QBs. A WR alone will never be enough to will a team to playoff wins. It's not his fault he was stuck on the Lions his whole career, just like Sanders.

I said "in my opinion", right? It is my opinion that he is not deserving of a HOF nod. He played throughout what is, to date, the pass happiest time in the NFL and didn't come close to cracking the top ten in yards, TDs, etc.

Where does he rank amongst the all time greats? He's behind them, by a lot, and he had the benefit of playing in today's pass happy NFL.

He is NOT "just like Sanders". In a 10 year career Barry managed to be near the top of just about every career rushing total out there, behind only Walter Payton and Emmit Smith, he was First team all pro six times, second team the other four years he played, Offensive player of the year a couple times, NFL MVP, carried his team to the playoffs five times, etc. The two are nothing alike except that they played for the Lions.

Calvin Johnson is a hell of a player, a great one actually, but his career accolades do not, in my opinion, merit the HOF. Actually, maybe they do, I guess my argument would be that he shouldn't be a first ballot HOF'er. There are players that IN MY OPINION had a greater impact on the game that were passed initially or are still waiting that should be in before Calvin.

Originally Posted by Davii

I said "in my opinion", right? It is my opinion that he is not deserving of a HOF nod. He played throughout what is, to date, the pass happiest time in the NFL and didn't come close to cracking the top ten in yards, TDs, etc.

Where does he rank amongst the all time greats? He's behind them, by a lot, and he had the benefit of playing in today's pass happy NFL.

He is NOT "just like Sanders". In a 10 year career Barry managed to be near the top of just about every career rushing total out there, behind only Walter Payton and Emmit Smith, he was First team all pro six times, second team the other four years he played, Offensive player of the year a couple times, NFL MVP, carried his team to the playoffs five times, etc. The two are nothing alike except that they played for the Lions.

Calvin Johnson is a hell of a player, a great one actually, but his career accolades do not, in my opinion, merit the HOF. Actually, maybe they do, I guess my argument would be that he shouldn't be a first ballot HOF'er. There are players that IN MY OPINION had a greater impact on the game that were passed initially or are still waiting that should be in before Calvin.

By this statistics rationale...TD doesnt deserve to be in the HoF, either.

Originally Posted by CoachChaz

By this statistics rationale...TD doesnt deserve to be in the HoF, either.

Is he in the HOF?

There you go. I guess he would count as one of those guys in the last sentence I typed as having a greater impact on the game still awaiting their turn.

Originally Posted by Davii

Is he in the HOF?

There you go. I guess he would count as one of those guys in the last sentence I typed as having a greater impact on the game still awaiting their turn.

He's not...but most Bronco homers think he should be. If you happen to think TD should be there, then the argument is legit for Calvin. Personally, I dont think either should be, but then again...the HoF just isnt what it use to be, so why not let them all in? If Rod Smith can mirror Michael Irvin in career stats and championships and never get any consideration...it's a total sham of a system.

If you look at TD's post season stats, those really help his case. He was the best against the best teams. He averaged something like 142 yards a game in post season.

Originally Posted by Slick

If you look at TD's post season stats, those really help his case. He was the best against the best teams. He averaged something like 142 yards a game in post season.

That's what does it for me: Most guys perform worse as deeper playoff opposition improves, but Terrell Davis nearly always produced MORE the deeper we went. Even in the Jags loss he had a TD and almost 100 yds on just 14 carries. The ultimate case in point: How many guys had 3 rushing TDs in a single SB? JUST ONE.

The really tragic thing is that I think his dominant performance in that game is and will always be overshadowed because of the Helicopter and Elways first win. But anyone who watched SB XXXII knows Elway had a pretty ho hum performance, and his stats were awful: 12/22 for 123 yds, 0 TDs and 1 Int. He DID add a rushing TD: Because faking the handoff to a migraine-blinded Terrell Davis drew the whole Packer D left; he could've thrown to a wide open Griffith just as easily.

How many times have you seen a QB win a SB with a 51.9 rating?! That's not to take anything away from Elway; he was MVP of our next SB, and earned it lighting up Atlanta for >300 passing yards and a TD (for a 99.2 rating,) plus another rushing. But SB XXXII was all Terrell Davis—and always remembered as all Elway.