Following what was a disappointing 2015 season, some rather intriguing information broke regarding Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson.
The wide receiver released a statement that seemed to suggest that he was contemplating retirement:
“Like many players at this stage of their career, I am currently evaluating options for my future,” Johnson said in early January. “I would expect to have a decision on this matter in the not-so-distant future.”
At the very same time, in what seemed to be a coordinated press release, the Lions themselves released a statement regarding Johnson’s status (via the team’s official website):
“We obviously have profound respect for Calvin and certainly understand and appreciate his decision to give proper thought and consideration to his football future.”
This didn’t necessarily mention retirement as a possibility, but it did leave open suggestions that Johnson is seriously considering walking away from the game.
Shortly after this announcement, a report broke that Johnson had told his mother that he was mulling retirement:
Source says Calvin Johnson told his mother he wasn't sure wanted to play any more; cleaned out his #Lions locker unlike other vet players
— Ed Werder (@WerderEdESPN) January 7, 2016
Johnson’s agent, Bus Cook, is now indicating that there’s no timetable for Johnson to make a decision on his future:
“Nothing to report,” Cook said down in the Senior Bowl on Tuesday, via the Detroit Free Press. “Have to wait and see. He has to think about what he’s going to do and then go from there.”
Could all this be a leverage play for Johnson to work his way out of Detroit?
Much like what we saw when Barry Sanders retired back in 1998 at the age of 29, the lack of success in Detroit could be wearing thin on Johnson. After all, the Lions have put up two winning seasons without a playoff win in Johnson’s nine years with the team.
Coming off the seventh 1,000-yard season of his career, the 30-year-old Johnson is still slated to be the highest-paid receiver in the NFL next year with a salary of $16.2 million.
He’s also set to earn nearly $58 million in the final three years of his deal, from 2017-19.
With his contract unlikely an issue for Johnson’s camp, there are two legitimate reasons why he’s mulling retirement.
First off, he’s been banged up quite a but over the past several seasons — an indication that he simply doesn’t view football as being worth further risk to his long-term health.
Secondly, Johnson could very well be fed up with the lack of winning in Detroit. If this is the case, all the talk about retirement might be the receiver’s way of forcing the Lions to trade him come March.
From Detroit’s perspective, moving on from Johnson might not be the worst idea in the world. As we mentioned above, he’s slated to make a whole bunch of cash over the past next seasons. He’s also seen his production dip a little over the past couple years.
With a 27-year-old Golden Tate putting up similar numbers over the past two seasons, the Lions may no longer view Johnson as being the valuable face of the franchise he was years back.
The good news here for Detroit is that Johnson would still attract a ton of interest on the open market. His ability to produce at an All-Pro level won’t be lost on contending teams out there.
Just imagine Johnson catching passes for Tom Brady in New England or Cam Newton in Carolina. That has to be an attractive option to at least those two teams.
This is definitely something to keep an eye on as the weeks draw on and March inches closer.