Calvin Johnson Had a Stern Message Regarding Donald Trump’s Leadership
It’s been five years since NFL star Calvin Johnson last played in the league. But he is still relevant to this day. Johnson enjoyed a career to remember with the Detroit Lions from 2007 to 2015.
He recently criticized President Donald Trump for the way he’s been dealing with the coronavirus pandemic.
Calvin Johnson was the one bright spot for the Detroit Lions during his career
When Johnson entered the league, he immediately made an impact on the Lions team. He started in 10 of 15 games during his rookie season and finished with 48 receptions for 756 yards and four touchdowns. He was named PFWA All-Rookie Team and created a lot of excitement in Detroit. The next season, Johnson led the league in touchdowns with 12 and finished with 78 receptions for 1,331 yards.
Detroit found their star receiver, and Johnson continued to put up impressive numbers year in and year out. In 2010, he played in his first Pro Bowl and also was named a second-team All-Pro. At 6-foot-5, Johnson used his size as an advantage against defensive backs. Even when multiple defenders covered him, he found a way to make the catch. His speed was a plus too. There weren’t too many receivers his size that possessed the speed he had.
Even though Johnson continued to put up good numbers in Detroit, the team did not have the success that Johnson was expecting. Johnson announced his retirement after nine seasons, and that caught many people by surprise. There was no question that he could have still played a few more seasons, but he thought it was time for him to hang up the cleats. It was tough news for the Lions fans to see Johnson retire because he meant so much to the city.
Calvin Johnson put up impressive numbers during his career
It won’t be long until Johnson hears his name called for the Football Hall of Fame. He set multiple NFL and franchise records during his career. In 2012, he broke Jerry Rice’s single-season record of 1,848 receiving yards and finished with 1,964 receiving yards. That’s only one NFL record that he set.
There’s a saying that numbers don’t lie, and in Johnson’s case, he has the resume to make the Hall of Fame someday. When you think about the greatest Lions players, Barry Sanders comes to mind, and you have to put Johnson’s name in that category because he dominated on the field. The Lions may never have a receiver that put up the numbers Johnson did.
Calvin Johnson criticizing Donald Trump
Johnson was recently part of a panel that talked about Donald Trump’s response to the pandemic. The panel was set up by Michigan State Rep. Joe Tate, a Democrat. During the panel, Johnson talked about how Trump’s response to the pandemic has impacted businesses, and he criticized Trump’s leadership, according to USA Today.
“What if we had a leader by example that wears his mask, that preaches social distancing and believes in the science? So long story short … it’s leadership that failed at the federal level in leadership and the lack of empathy there about what’s going on across this state and the nation. And my heart goes out to the many losses — not only businesses, but people in general, all the losses that we’ve had.”
Looking at that quote from Johnson, there’s no question that he’s not a fan of the way Trump’s been handling things since this pandemic started, and he wants his voice to be heard by others. Johnson also gave Gov. Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan a shout out for how well she’s handled everything during the pandemic. Even though he’s no longer playing, Johnson is still making an impact.
