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{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2010}}
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{{Infobox NFL player
{{Infobox NFL player
|name=Calvin Johnson
|name=Calvin Johnson brett benardo number 1 draft pick by the detroit tigers
|image=Calvin Johnson GT.jpg
|image=Calvin Johnson GT.jpg
|caption=Calvin Johnson with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
|caption=Calvin Johnson with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.

Revision as of 14:50, 5 October 2011

For other people with this name, see Calvin Johnson (disambiguation).

Calvin Johnson brett benardo number 1 draft pick by the detroit tigers
refer to caption
Calvin Johnson with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets.
Detroit Lions
Personal information
Born: (1985-09-25) September 25, 1985 (age 39)
Newnan, Georgia
Career information
College:Georgia Tech
NFL draft:2007 / round: 1 / pick: 2
Career history
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of Week 4, 2011
Receptions:294
Receiving Yards:4,512
Receiving TDs:41
Yards per Catch:15.3
Stats at Pro Football Reference Edit this at Wikidata

Calvin Johnson, Jr. (born September 25, 1985) is an American football wide receiver for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Lions second overall in the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Georgia Tech.

Johnson has a rare combination of size, hands, speed, strength, leaping ability,[1][2] body control and hand–eye coordination. He has been nicknamed "Megatron" by Lions coaches and fans.[3]

Early years

Johnson was born to Calvin and Arica Johnson on September 25, 1985 in Newnan, Georgia.[2][4] Johnson was 6 feet tall in middle school, and 6 feet 4 inches in 10th grade.[5] He attended Sandy Creek High School in Tyrone, Georgia and was a student and a letterman in football. In football, he was a three year starter as a wide receiver. As a sophomore, he made 34 receptions for 646 yards and 10 touchdowns. As a junior, Johnson caught 40 passes for 736 yards and eight touchdowns.[2][6]

One of Georgia Tech's most highly publicized signees in recent years, Johnson was rated among the nation's top 10 wide receivers and top 100 players by virtually every recruiting analyst. He was tabbed the No. 4 wide receiver and No. 15 player in the nation by TheInsiders.com, named to the Super Southern 100 by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, the Rivals 100 by Rivals.com, TheInsiders.com Hot 100, the SuperPrep All-America 275 and the Prep Star Top 100 Dream Team.[2]

He was also rated the No. 1 player in Georgia, No. 12 in the Southeast and No. 37 in the nation by Rivals.com, the No. 7 wide receiver in the nation by SuperPrep. First-team all-state selection (Class AAAA) by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Finally, he was tabbed to the AJC's preseason Super 11.[2] By the time he was a junior, he was ranked as within the top 10 wide receivers and the top 100 players in the nation by almost every writer.[2]

College career

Calvin Johnson catching a pass
Calvin Johnson's Fred Biletnikoff Award

In his career at Georgia Tech wearing number 21, Johnson made a case for being the greatest Georgia Tech receiver of all time. Johnson has 178 receptions in his career, good for 2,927 yards and 28 touchdowns. He ranks first in school history in career receiving yards, second in receptions, first in touchdown receptions, and first in most career 100-yard receiving games with 13.[7]

As a freshman in 2004, Johnson was named first-team All-ACC. Johnson was the Jackets' leading receiver with 48 catches for 837 yards and seven scores, which were Georgia Tech freshman records. Johnson ended his freshman campaign against Syracuse University in the Champs Sports Bowl, where he recorded a touchdown. 2005 was Johnson's sophomore year, where he earned first-team All-American honors. He also earned All-ACC honors for the 2nd straight year and was semifinalist for the Fred Biletnikoff Award. He led Tech with 54 catches for 888 yards and six scores.

Johnson entered his junior season in the Biletnikoff Award running and Heisman Trophy running. Although Johnson finished 10th for the Heisman, he won the Biletnikoff. Johnson was ACC Player of the Year and made his 3rd straight selection to All-ACC squad. Johnson tallied 1,202 yards on 76 catches. Johnson's 15 touchdowns in 2006 is a new Georgia Tech single-season record.[8] Against the West Virginia Mountaineers in the Toyota Gator Bowl, Johnson had nine catches for 186 yards and two touchdowns, albeit in a losing effort.[9][10]

College Record(s)

  • Georgia Tech career receiving yards- 2,927

College awards and honors

Academic activities

During the 2006 summer, Johnson, who majored in management with a background in building construction, was given the option of working on either constructing environmentally friendly luxury condos, or a project building solar latrines to improve sanitation in Bolivia.[14][15] Johnson chose the latter, as he wanted to help the less fortunate.[16] The "solar latrines" use the sun’s rays to safely transform bacteria-laden waste into fertilizer.[16][17]

Professional career

Calvin Johnson in his Detroit Lions training uniform

2007 NFL Draft

Main article: 2007 NFL Draft

Coming out of college, Calvin Johnson was hyped to be one of the best college wide receivers of all time. Calvin Johnson was SI.com's Midseason NFL Draft Projection #1 pick,[18] though Johnson had stated that he intended to earn his degree from Georgia Tech.[2] On January 8, 2007, Johnson declared himself eligible for the NFL Draft, bypassing his senior season at Georgia Tech.[7][19] He was regarded as the best athlete to come out of the draft and was the #1 player on most draft boards.[1][20][21] Johnson was said by ESPN to be able to be productive as a rookie, much like receiver Randy Moss was as a rookie.[1] In a mid-February workout with speed and conditioning coach Mark Pearsall, Johnson clocked a remarkable 4.33 second 40-yard dash, 10.23 second 100-meter sprint, recorded an 11-foot standing broad jump, and had a vertical leap of 43 inches.[22]

Johnson surprised many when he weighed in at 239 pounds at the combine, 12 pounds more than expected, although he claims that this season he played "at about 235 and I got up to 238" and that his weight was not a problem.[1] Johnson had told the media that he would not run the 40 yard dash at the combine but would wait until his March 15 workout at Georgia Tech. At the last minute, however, he was thought to have borrowed a pair of shoes from East Carolina QB James Pinkney and clocked an impressive 4.35 in the 40 yard dash.[1] He later insisted that he had not borrowed the shoes, but simply reclaimed his own. Pinkney arrived in tennis shoes, and Johnson informed him he needed cleats and lent him his own. When he later returned to retrieve his shoes to run, many thought he was borrowing Pinkney's cleats.[23] Johnson ultimately allowed the 4.35 to speak for itself and wowed scouts with his jump drill results, his receiving skills, and his 11 ft 7 in (3.53 m) broad jump, which is "best broad jump I can ever remember an NFL prospect having," according to Gil Brandt.[24]

Johnson was selected by the Detroit Lions as the 2nd pick overall in the 2007 NFL Draft.[25][26][27] This is the highest a Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket has ever been drafted.[25] The Lions were expected to trade Johnson, most likely to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but the team announced that they were keeping him.[28] The next day the Detroit Tigers invited him to throw out the first pitch.[29][30]

Pre-draft measureables
Ht Wt 40-yard dash 10-yd split 20-yd split 20 ss 3-cone Vert Broad BP Wonderlic
6–5 3/4 * 243 lb * 4.35 * 1.48 * 2.50 * 4.01 ** X 44½ in. ** 11'10" ** 29 * 41 *
(* represents NFL Combine ** represents Georgia Tech pro day[31][32][33])

Detroit Lions

2007 season

Johnson attended Reebok's NFL Rookie Premiere in Los Angeles.[34] The Lions, being told by the league that Johnson would have to skip the minicamp to attend, rescheduled the camp to accommodate Johnson.[35] On August 3, 2007, Calvin Johnson signed a 6-year deal with the Detroit Lions after holding out for eight days, and passed his physical in time to be on the field for the start of that morning's practice.[11][36][37][38] He was represented by agent James "Bus" Cook. The contract is worth up to $64 million, with $27.2 million in guaranteed money, making Johnson the third highest-paid player in Lions history (the highest at the time, since passed by Matthew Stafford and Ndamukong Suh) and the highest-paid receiver (in guaranteed money) in the NFL.[36][36][39]

Although he did not start the game, Johnson had an impressive NFL debut on Sunday, September 9, 2007, catching 4 passes for 70 yards and his first career touchdown in Detroit's 36–21 win over the Oakland Raiders.[40][41][42] He sustained a lower back injury after making a catch over two Philadelphia Eagles defenders on September 23, 2007.[43] He scored his first NFL rushing touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on October 21, 2007 on a 32-yard reverse play.[44] Fellow teammate Roy Williams nicknamed Johnson "Megatron", due to his large hands being similar to that of the towering Decepticon.[45] The nickname caught on well with fans. Williams later changed the nickname to "Bolt" after Jamaican sprinting phenom Usain Bolt, comparing the two athletes' similar height and running abilities.[46] Johnson finished the 2007 season with 756 yards and 5 total touchdowns.

2008 season

Johnson said he could "still feel" the lower-back injury that bothered him throughout his rookie season. Johnson took five weeks off after the 2007 season and was taking part in the Lions' offseason program. "I know it's there but it doesn't hurt," he said.[47] Johnson revealed that he needed Vicodin to play through the final three months of the 2007 season. He needed the medication to help him play with a bone bruise in his back. "I was on meds the rest of the season," he said. "I was taking Vicodin twice a game just to get through the game. I stayed hurt the whole season, probably because I was trying to come back too soon."[48] Johnson averaged 15.8 yards on 48 catches in the 2007 season.[49]

Johnson and the Lions faced the Atlanta Falcons on the road on September 7 to begin the season. As the official starting wide receiver behind Roy Williams, Johnson had a good performance leading the team in receptions and yards, collecting 7 catches for 107 yards which included one 38-yard catch-and-run in the Lions' 34–21 loss. Johnson had another good game during week 2 versus the Green Bay Packers where he had two key touchdowns late in the game which sparked a large comeback late in the game, though the Lions eventually lost the game, 48–25. Both touchdowns catches included a run after the catch (the first catch going for 38 yards and the second going for 47 yards, both over the middle) displaying Johnson's coveted speed and breakaway ability. He ended the game with 6 receptions for 129 and 2 touchdowns. In the following two games, losses to San Francisco and Chicago, Johnson failed to score a touchdown and gain over 50 yards receiving. However, against the Minnesota Vikings, Johnson had 4 receptions for 85 yards and his third touchdown of the season.

On October 14, before the week 6 trade deadline, Roy Williams was traded to the Dallas Cowboys for a 1st, 3rd and 7th-round pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, making Johnson the Lions' starting wide receiver and the last big threat on the offense.[50] In his first game without Roy Williams alongside him in the week 7 game against the Houston Texans, Johnson had caught only 2 passes, however, totaling 154 yards receiving; the first pass didn't come until Dan Orlovsky threw a pass up for grabs at the end of the 1st half which Johnson caught for 58 yards and the second pass came on a 96-yard touchdown catch-and-run. With Williams gone and starting quarterback Jon Kitna lost to injury for the season, the Texans defense had little to do to stop the Lions' offense but shut down Johnson, winning the game 28–21.[51]

Johnson set a career-high for receptions in a game during the week 9 matchup against their division rivals, the Chicago Bears, with 8 receptions that garnered 94 yards and one touchdown, although still losing the game 27–23. During week 10, formerly retired All-Pro quarterback Daunte Culpepper was signed to a 1-year contract with the Lions in hopes to spur the offense and earned the starting job for the next 2 games. Johnson ended his first game with Culpepper at quarterback with 2 receptions for 92 yards in a 38–14 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. In Johnson's 4th game with Culpepper, he had 5 catches for 66 yards. During the week 14 matchup against the division rival Minnesota Vikings, Johnson passed the 1,000-yards receiving mark for the first time in his career after collecting 3 catches for 84 yards and one touchdown, ending the week with 1,055 yards receiving and 9 touchdowns on the season.[52]

Johnson and the 2008 Detroit Lions finished the first ever 0–16 season in NFL history after a 31–21 loss to the Green Bay Packers in week 17.[53] Despite the Lions' failures, Johnson finished as one of the strongest wide receivers, statistically, for the season, finishing 5th in receiving yards (1,331), 7th in receiving yards per game (83.2), and leading the league in receiving touchdowns (12).[54] However, Johnson missed the Pro Bowl with most experts attributing the snub to the Lions dismal winless season (he was named an alternate instead).[55]

2009 season

Johnson finished the 2009 season with 67 receptions 984 yards and 5 TDs, while completely missing 2 games.[56]

2010 season

In a week 1 game against the Chicago Bears, Johnson caught a pass with 31 seconds left in regulation in the end zone for what looked like a game winning touchdown. However, referee Gene Steratore ruled the catch incomplete, saying that Johnson had not maintained possession of the ball through the entire process of the catch. The Lions would lose the game 14-19.[57]

Johnson amassed 77 receptions for 1,120 yards and 12 TDs during 2010. He was also selected to the first Pro Bowl of his career on December 28.[58] Following the 2010 season, Johnson was the recipient of the Lions/Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association/Pro Football Writers Association (Detroit Chapter) Media-Friendly Good Guy Award.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Clayton, John (February 26, 2007). "NFL/DRAFT07 – Clayton: Johnson impresses at combine". ESPN.com. Retrieved February 27, 2007.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Calvin Johnson's Georgia Tech profile". RamblinWreck.com. Retrieved February 18, 2007.
  3. ^ Curran, Tom (September 6, 2009). "If Lions transform into winner, 'Megatron' wins". Retrieved July 13, 2010.
  4. ^ "Calvin Johnson | #81". NFL. Retrieved December 30, 2010. {{cite web}}: Text "WR" ignored (help)
  5. ^ Glier, Ray (August 28, 2006). "Georgia Tech's star receiver just can't miss". USA Today. Retrieved September 17, 2007.
  6. ^ "Freshman Faces in the Crowd". The Technique. September 24, 2004. Retrieved May 17, 2007.
  7. ^ a b "Johnson to Enter NFL Draft". RamblinWreck.com. January 8, 2007. Retrieved February 18, 2007.
  8. ^ "ACC Leaders". NCAASports.com. Retrieved February 18, 2007.
  9. ^ Finder, Chuck (December 30, 2006). "Gator Bowl: Georgia Tech receiver is tops". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. Retrieved August 10, 2007.
  10. ^ Kiper, Mel (January 1, 2007). "West Virginia vs. Georgia Tech: ESPN's Take". ESPN. go.com. Retrieved August 10, 2007.
  11. ^ a b c d "Lions Sign First-Round Draft Pick WR Calvin Johnson". Detroit Lions. August 3, 2007. Retrieved August 25, 2007.
  12. ^ "NCAA Football 07: Top 25 Wide Receivers". IGN. June 9, 2006. Retrieved February 18, 2007.
  13. ^ http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/awards/heisman-2006.html
  14. ^ Kantheti, Usha (September 22, 2006). "Playing locally, serving globally". The Technique. Retrieved February 18, 2007. [dead link]
  15. ^ "Students work to improve sanitation in developing countries". The Whistle. Georgia Tech Institute Communications and Public Affairs. August 5, 2006. Retrieved May 31, 2008.
  16. ^ a b "Calvin Johnson Tackles Global Sanitation Problems" (Press release). Georgia Institute of Technology. September 1, 2006. Retrieved February 18, 2007.
  17. ^ "Appropriate Technology Design Team". Georgia Tech Cyberbuzz. Retrieved May 31, 2008. [dead link]
  18. ^ "NFL Midseason Draft Projection: #1, Calvin Johnson". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved February 18, 2007.
  19. ^ Heerji, Asif (January 19, 2007). "Johnson chooses NFL". The Technique. Retrieved February 18, 2007. [dead link]
  20. ^ "Mel Kiper's Big Board". Espn.com. Retrieved February 18, 2007.
  21. ^ Horwedel, Chris (March 13, 2007). "Top 200 Prospects". NFL Draft Blitz. Archived from the original on March 17, 2007. Retrieved March 19, 2007.
  22. ^ Stroud, Rick (February 14, 2007). "Georgia Tech's Johnson seen as a can't-miss WR". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved February 18, 2007.
  23. ^ Newberry, Paul (February 28, 2007). "Calvin Johnson believes he's the best player in the NFL draft". Yahoo! Sports. Associated Press. Retrieved March 8, 2007.
  24. ^ Brandt, Gil. "Individual Workouts". NFL.com. Archived from the original on March 16, 2007. Retrieved March 21, 2007.
  25. ^ a b "Johnson Goes to Detroit with No. 2 Pick". RamblinWreck.com. Georgia Tech Alumni Association. April 28, 2007. Retrieved April 29, 2007.
  26. ^ Householder, Mike (April 29, 2007). "Lions Go On Offense With WR Johnson, QB Stanton". Fox 2 News Detroit. Retrieved April 29, 2007.
  27. ^ Cotsonika, Nicholas (April 29, 2007). "Lions' catch is definite keeper". freep.com. Detroit Free Press. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved April 29, 2007.
  28. ^ "Top 10 Draft Surprises: The Lions don't trade Calvin Johnson". Sports Illustrated. April 29, 2007. Retrieved April 30, 2007.
  29. ^ "Lions' draft pick wide receiver Calvin Johnson on team cam". NFL.com. April 29, 2007. Archived from the original on July 3, 2007. Retrieved April 30, 2007.
  30. ^ Kowalski, Tom (April 29, 2007). "Calvin Johnson to throw first pitch at Tigers game". Lions Insider. Retrieved May 5, 2007.
  31. ^ "Calvin Johnson". NFL Draft Scout.com. Retrieved April 17, 2009.
  32. ^ Yahoo.com
  33. ^ Murphy, John (March 16, 2006).Calvin Johnson pro day numbers and more Yahoo.com Retrieved May 29, 2009.
  34. ^ Pasquarelli, Len. "ESPN – Dungy concerned about rookies missing minicamp – NFL". sports.espn.go.com. Retrieved August 28, 2008.
  35. ^ Smith, Michael David (May 20, 2007). "Lions Move Minicamp So Calvin Johnson Can Participate". The Fanhouse. AOL Sports. Retrieved May 21, 2007.
  36. ^ a b c Cotsonika, Nicholas (August 3, 2007). "Lions sign WR Calvin Johnson". Detroit Free Press. Archived from the original on September 29, 2007. Retrieved August 3, 2007. Cite error: The named reference "dfps" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  37. ^ "Lions sign WR Calvin Johnson". seattlepi.com. August 3, 2007. Retrieved August 3, 2007.
  38. ^ "Lions sign No. 2 pick WR Johnson". NFL.com. August 3, 2007. Retrieved August 3, 2007. [dead link]
  39. ^ . ESPN.com. August 5, 2010 http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/trainingcamp10/news/story?id=5436455. Retrieved August 5, 2010. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  40. ^ Hummer, Steve (September 10, 2007). "Johnson takes it all in stride in Lions debut". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved September 11, 2007. [dead link]
  41. ^ VanOchten, Brian (September 9, 2007). "Williams saves TD ball for Johnson". The Grand Rapids Press. MLive.com. Retrieved September 11, 2007.
  42. ^ Cotsonika, Nicholas J (September 9, 2007). "Lion Calvin Johnson focuses on the game, rookie of the year, not the hype". Detroit Free Press. freep.com. Archived from the original on October 24, 2007. Retrieved September 11, 2007.
  43. ^ Associated Press (September 24, 2007). "Lions check themselves after blowout loss in Philadelphia". mlive.com. Retrieved September 24, 2007.
  44. ^ "Quick Take: Lions capitalize on Bucs' errors". NFL Game Center. nfl.com. October 21, 2007. Retrieved October 21, 2007.
  45. ^ Large, Larry (October 22, 2007). "Calvin Johnson shows why Lions made him No. 2 pick in the draft". mlive.com. Retrieved October 23, 2007.
  46. ^ "Lions' Williams not jealous of Calvin Johnson". August 21, 2008. Retrieved September 3, 2008.
  47. ^ "Lions' Johnson: Back injury lingered all season". mlive.com. April 20, 2008. Retrieved May 31, 2008.
  48. ^ "Calvin Johnson ready for big numbers". mlive.com. April 20, 2008. Retrieved May 31, 2008.
  49. ^ "Johnson will be the Lions' next great player". Daily Tribune. July 25, 2008. Retrieved August 12, 2008. [dead link]
  50. ^ Yuille, Sean (October 15, 2008). "More on the Roy Williams Trade". Pride of Detroit. Retrieved October 22, 2008.
  51. ^ Duncan, Chris (October 20, 2008). "Texans' Johnson leads Houston past winless Detroit". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 22, 2008.
  52. ^ http://www.google.com/search?q=Parke, Jim (December 12, 2008). "Johnson is the Lions' only bright spot". Financial Post. Retrieved January 8, 2009. [dead link]
  53. ^ "Packers Win Completes Lions Winless Season". WBAY. December 29, 2008. Retrieved January 8, 2009.
  54. ^ Cotsonika, Nicholas J (January 4, 2009). "Fail away: The Lions' year-end grades". Detroit Free Press. freep.com. Retrieved January 8, 2009. [dead link]
  55. ^ Samuelsen, Jamie (December 17, 2008). "Lions' Pro Bowl snub isn't all that surprising". Detroit Free Press. freep.com. Retrieved January 8, 2009.
  56. ^ http://espn.go.com/nfl/players/profile?playerId=10447
  57. ^ Seligman, Andrew. Bears escape Lions, but not without controversy. Associated Press. 12 September 2010. Retrieved 29 September 2011.
  58. ^ 2011 Pro Bowl rosters. NFL.com. 28 December 2010. Retrieved 29 September 2011.
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