Getty Calvin Johnson before a game in Arizona.
The Detroit Lions haven’t had a first-ballot Hall of Famer since Barry Sanders, but they’ve landed a new one in the form of wideout Calvin Johnson.
Saturday night, Johnson was revealed to have made the Pro Football Hall of Fame in first-ballot fashion. The decision was revealed during the annual NFL Honors show.
BREAKING: @calvinjohnsonjr has been elected to the Class of 2021!
Johnson had made all the cuts down to the end of the process, and looked poised to be elected to the Hall of Fame. Even though that was the case, there was a question about whether Johnson would have to wait or not considering the often complicated nature of wideout voting with regard to the Hall of Fame. Others such as Torrey Holt and Reggie Wayne had been passed over. Even such, none had changed the game in the way Johnson did at wideout, making the move easy in the end.
Johnson will now take his rightful place amongst the greats of the game at wide receiver in the hallowed halls of Canton.
Why Calvin Johnson Deserves Hall of Fame
Johnson arguably changed the game more than any other wideout in the league. His super-human size and ability to run fast was one of the most incredible combinations in NFL history. Johnson made numerous highlight-reel catches and changed the way folks felt about wide receivers. Now, as a result of Johnson, teams look for big-bodied players who can run and post defensive backs up in the end zone.
Johnson may not have had the team success, but his personal glory did allow him to rewrite the mold at wide receiver. For that reason, it felt as if he was going to be a Hall of Fame lock. With this announcement, it can now be said that is officially true.
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Calvin Johnson’s Career With Lions
This is a special honor for Johnson given what he did through the years. Over his career, there were few people more productive who changed the game the way Johnson did. He was a physical specimen and also had the stats to match in order to prove his dominance over others who played his position at the time.
After breaking into the league with the Lions back in 2007 when he was a top pick in that season’s draft, Johnson didn’t hesitate to put up great plays and amazing statistics. In his career, Johnson managed a total of 11,619 yards and 83 touchdowns and more than that, was a human highlight reel unlike many other receivers he matches up with on the list. That’s similar to the impact Barry Sanders made. Out of Georgia Tech in college, Johnson was labeled as one of the freakiest players in the draft and he lived up to that distinction in the NFL at nearly every single turn right up until the moment he retired after the 2015 season. It’s rare to see a player not only live up to his draft potential but exceed it, and Johnson did.
Johnson shattered Jerry Rice’s record of 1,848 receiving yards during the 2012 season on the field and was constantly a great player for the team, often playing through pain and discomfort to the delight of his fans. Much like Sanders, Johnson never complained and simply went about his business. That’s why he remains one of the most revered players in franchise history to this day.
Now, Johnson will take his deserving place as a first-ballot Hall of Famer.
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