Getty Calvin Johnson playing against the Miami Dolphins in 2014.
Penei Sewell has only been a member of the Detroit Lions for a few months, but already, he has enjoyed the thrill of a lifetime that comes with being on the roster.
Sewell was revealed to be a Lions fan before the draft, and the reason was due to the fact that the team had Calvin Johnson on the roster, who was Sewell’s favorite player. With that in mind, being drafted to the Lions was already a dream come true for Sewell. After the draft, however, the biggest thrill likely came when Sewell got to meet Johnson.
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Recently, there was an image that surfaced on the internet with Sewell connecting with Johnson, and looking thrilled to be able to do so.
Here’s a look:
As Sewell said in the caption, he considers Johnson the best to ever do it in football, and it was an inspiration to meet the wide receiver. Funny enough, Sewell does make Johnson look a bit small in the picture, which is something that Lions fans shouldn’t be too upset about.
Sewell Admitted Lions Fandom Before 2021 NFL Draft
A few months back in the lead into the NFL Draft, an interesting factoid arisen about Oregon’s Penei Sewell, the top offensive tackle in the draft. Interestingly enough, the Lions were a team he followed closely while growing up.
Speaking in an interview with Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, Sewell was asked what team he followed growing up. While he said there were several, he admitted to liking the Lions perhaps the most thanks to the fact he used them in Madden and appreciated a couple of their star players on the offensive side of the ball.
Penei Sewell grew up a Lions fan 👀 #OnePride
Sewell said:
“The one that kind of stuck out to me was the Lions. I was a big fan of Calvin Johnson, loved seeing him go up and get the ball and also the running back they had at the time was Jahvid Best. I would just use them in Madden because my brother and I would have tournaments and stuff like that and I loved to use the underdog. At the time they had those two and I would use them against my older brother and my little brother.”
Safe to say the Lions have always been the underdog, whether in Madden or in real football, so it will be interesting to see him getting a taste of what being a member of the team is all about.
Now that he has joined the team, it’s clear that Sewell loves being a Lion, including the chance to connect with a legend he already loved like Johnson.
Sewell Fitting in Nicely With Lions
Ever since he was the pick of the team, the transition to the league has been a natural one for Sewell. Already, the offensive lineman is looking like a pro and transitioning to the field like the pro the team felt he was when they selected him within the top 10. Sewell is already taking on the look of a solid player according to his teammates, and that’s huge news considering the Lions need him to be able to have a chance to be solid in 2021. He’s also been thrilled to come to Detroit, which is welcome news for a player
Not only is Sewell transitioning well to the league, but he is getting indoctrinated into the Lions way as well by meeting up with a future Hall of Famer.
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