Lions Announce Megatron Has Retired
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- One of the NFL's greatest wide receivers to ever do it, Calvin Johnson, is calling it quits.
Calvin Johnson retires from the National Football League: https://t.co/8YgcYxLjNS pic.twitter.com/IdC1yIMX8R
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) March 8, 2016
"After much prayer, thought and discussion with loved ones, I have made the difficult decision to retire from the Lions and pro football," Johnson wrote in a statement on Tuesday. "I have played my last game of football.
In nine NFL seasons, Johnson recorded 11,619 receiving yards, 84 touchdowns, and six Pro Bowls.
Calvin Johnson's 86.1 receiving yards per game ranks 1st in NFL history among players with 100 games played pic.twitter.com/PmW5qMZebp
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) March 8, 2016
Eagles wide receiver Jordan Matthews paid tribute to Johnson in this tweet:
Johnson, 30, was the No. 2 overall pick of the Lions in 2007. Johnson's 2016 cap was going to be $24 million, but the Lions will now save approximately 11 million cap dollars with his retirement.