Calvin Johnson: Report: Calvin told Lions he plans to retire

Calvin Johnson informed close family and friends that this past season would be his last, and told Jim Caldwell the same on the day after the regular season ended, according to Adam Schefter.

Caldwell did notify Johnson that he should take some time to think about his choice due to the magnitude of the decision.

When word got out earlier in January that Johnson was considering retiring, he and the Lions issued a joint statement.

Johnson leaves having participated in just two playoff games in nine years. “I would expect to have a decision regarding this matter in the not-too-distant future”.

Johnson, per Schefter, told Stephen Tulloch and Matthew Stafford about the decision during the year but didn’t relay it to the organization until afterwards.

Through the last few years, Johnson has been hampered by injuries, but still managed more than 1,200 receiving yards and nine touchdowns in 2015. Players around the league are reacting to the report and Arizona Cardinals cornerback Patrick Peterson was one of the first to send out a statement regarding his respect for the Lions wide receiver.

Johnson, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, remains Detroit’s all-time leader in receptions, receiving yards, receiving touchdowns and receiving yards per game. You can’t fault a player for looking out for his body and his well-being like that, particularly after all that Johnson has already done. A consistent threat throughout his career, perhaps Johnson’s biggest accomplishment was when he broke the record for most receiving yards in a season (1,964 in 2012).