Detroit Lions legendary wide receiver and Hall of Famer Calvin Johnson Jr. racked up 11,619 receiving yards and 84 touchdowns across 135 games over his nine-season NFL career. Notably, he set an incredible single-season NFL record with 1,968 receiving yards in 2012, cementing his status as one of the greatest wide receivers in football history.
Reaching the pinnacle of professional football was not always a smooth journey. An unexpected incident during his early childhood nearly brought his entire athletic career to a halt before it truly began.
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Calvin Johnson Jr. nearly quit football after a middle-school collision
Johnson recalled the hit, speaking with Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins. He was a 150-pound running back in a 45-degree tackling drill when Brandon Murphy, a defensive lineman weighing more than 200 pounds, hit him near the sideline.
October 4, 2015; Santa Clara, CA, USA; General view of the Breast Cancer Awareness logo on the football during the third quarter between the San Francisco 49ers and the Green Bay Packers at Levi’s Stadium. The Packers defeated the 49ers 17-3. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports
“I almost quit my first day of playing football,” Johnson said. “I was running back, right? So we were doing this dumb-ass drill. This is illegal nowadays. It was just a 45-degree tackling drill. I remember this one. And I was, I remember my dude, Brandon Murphy. He was a defensive lineman. He smashed me on the sideline. You know, he’s like, he had to be like 200-plus pounds in middle school. I might be maybe a buck 50. He smashed me on the sideline as a running back, and I was like, okay. I almost turned in my cleats that day. My mom had me in some ugly-ass Riddells. My swag was terrible. You know, it was a bad experience, but no, I stuck to it and, you know, ended up hitting my growth spurt and turned into a receiver.”
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Johnson grew into a 6-foot-5 receiver and became Georgia Tech’s career leader with 2,927 yards and 28 touchdown catches.
Detroit selected Johnson second overall in 2007. He spent his career with the Lions, earned six Pro Bowl selections, and led the league in receiving yards in 2011 and 2012.
The Pro Football Hall of Fame lists Johnson with 731 receptions, 11,619 yards, and 83 touchdowns. He reached 1,000 yards in seven seasons.
Against Chicago in 2015, Johnson caught six passes for 166 yards and scored with 21 seconds left in regulation during Detroit’s 37-34 overtime win.
The Hall of Fame profile documents Johnson’s NFL records and honors. The Georgia Tech profile confirms his college records and the 2006 Biletnikoff Award.
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The memory adds context to Johnson’s career. Before the records and Hall of Fame election, he was a young player deciding whether one play was worth leaving football.
Johnson stayed, changed positions, and became “Megatron,” a nickname given to him by his Lions teammate Roy Williams during his rookie season.
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The post NFL HOF Recalls Brutal Middle-School Hit That Nearly Ended Career appeared first on Gridiron Heroics.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
