This story was originally published by Dead Spin
The Detroit Lions are adding wide receiver Calvin Johnson to the Pride of the Lions, which celebrates the greatest players in franchise history.
Johnson will become the 21st member of the group in a ceremony at halftime of their game on Sept. 30 against the Seattle Seahawks.
The 38-year-old Johnson played for the Lions from 2007-15 and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021. Estranged over financial issues immediately after his retirement, Johnson and the Lions have a much-improved relationship today.
“We are thrilled to add Calvin Johnson Jr. to the Pride of the Lions,” said Rod Wood, the team president and CEO, said Monday in a statement. “His commitment on the field and to the city of Detroit are legendary and this is a well-deserved honor. We are proud that he will be forever memorialized inside Ford Field and as a Detroit Lion.”
The Lions selected Johnson with the second overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft. He started 130 of 135 games played and is the franchise leader in receptions (731), receiving yards (11,619) and receiving touchdowns (83).
A member of the NFL 2010s All-Decade Team, he was named a first-team All-Pro in three consecutive seasons (2011-13). He set the NFL single-season receiving yardage record in 2012 with 1,964.
–Field Level Media
