Getty Calvin Johnson stretches before a game in 2015.
Calvin Johnson will go into the Hall of Fame later on this year, and perhaps the most exciting part about the process for a player is getting the swag that comes with a trip to Canton.
Not only do players get their gold jackets, but they get a bust as well that lives in infamy in the Hall of Fame, and the sculpting of that is always a big deal for the players. Johnson himself has taken the first step toward getting that squared away by being sculpted for said bust.
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Recently, the legendary former Detroit Lions wideout took some time out to show the progress being made on his bust as it was being sculpted.
Here’s a look:
Calvin Johnson is getting ready for his Pro Football Hall of Fame induction. He shared this photo on Instagram.
It’s hard to make out many details now, but still cool to note the progress and get a sneak peek at what’s to come this summer.
Obviously, it will be fun for Lions fans to travel to Canton and get to see Johnson’s bust up close when it is finished. It’s a remarkable accomplishment to crack the Hall of Fame and an exciting moment to see Johnson getting on the road to being enshrined like this.
Johnson, Lions Making Progress on Relationship
Back in February when it was revealed Johnson had cracked Canton, Ohio, the wideout admitted that he was on speaking terms with the Lions and sides were working on a resolution. Now, Rod Wood has confirmed things are still moving in that positive direction.
Speaking with the media this past week, Wood explained that the Lions and Johnson are still getting things patched up and the team is working on some celebrations with Johnson in the months ahead.
Wood on the organization’s current relationship with Calvin Johnson: We’re working actively with Calvin and his team on celebrations. Said “the relationship is headed in the right direction”
Johnson will officially join the Hall of Fame later on this summer after being voted in this winter, and it’s clear the Lions are going to be involved with him by then so that they can properly celebrate the achievement. It’s nice to know the team is still committed to getting things right with Johnson long-term and will be doing the right thing.
Johnson’s Career Statistics
Since he came into the league with the Lions in 2007, Johnson wasted little time putting up great plays and amazing statistics. In his career, Johnson put up 11,619 yards and 83 touchdowns and more than that, was a human highlight reel unlike any other receiver on the list. Out of Georgia Tech, Johnson was labeled as one of the freakiest players in the draft and he lived up to that distinction in the NFL.
Johnson shattered Rice’s record of 1,848 receiving yards during the 2012 season and was a stable force for the team, often playing through pain and discomfort on the field. He walked away following the 2015 season, leaving a gaping hole in Detroit’s wideout group. Since, Johnson has been embroiled in a feud with the Lions for the last few seasons over money that the team made him pay back upon retirement.
That bitterness is finally subsiding, and Johnson is beginning to be on the path to his enshrinement. It will be interesting to see what the finished product is like when all is said and done.