Detroit Lions legend Calvin Johnson continues to top Hall of Fame-riddled lists after retirement, earning a spot on ESPN's "All Quarter Century team" as one of the wide receivers featured on the list. Johnson joins Randy Moss, Julio Jones, Terrell Owens, Marvin Harrison, and Justin Jefferson as receivers seen as some of the best to play over the last 25 years.
Jefferson is the only active receiver named to the list, which speaks to his talent in the NFC North and in the entire NFL. Johnson's inclusion should come as no surprise, as the Lions' former WR1 made a huge mark on the team and league despite having no team hardware from his time with Detroit.
"Johnson leaped over defenders en route to two 1,600-plus-yard seasons and the all-time single-season receiving yards record (1,964) in 2012. He ranks fourth since 2000 in yards per game behind only three current players with far fewer games played (Justin Jefferson, Puka Nacua and Ja'Marr Chase)," wrote ESPN's Seth Walder on Johnson's resumé.
He added, "What's most amazing about Johnson is what he did without Matthew Stafford as his QB. During Detroit's infamous 0-16 season in 2008, Johnson managed 1,331 yards with Dan Orlovsky, Daunte Culpepper and Jon Kitna at quarterback."
Imagining Johnson playing with either Stafford or even Jared Goff for most of his career is genuinely too much to process. It's incredible that he managed to do Megatron things with such a ragtag assembly of quarterbacks - and some of Stafford - while with the Lions.
Johnson amongst wide receivers named to All Quarter Century Team
Johnson has a list of memorable moments with the Lions as long as a receipt from CVS. The Pro Football Hall of Fame put out a list of his top five biggest moments with the Lions back in 2021, when he was inducted into the Hall of Fame post-retirement.
The list includes his ridiculous jump ball catch versus the Cincinnati Bengals in 2013, his longest touchdown, his 329 receiving yard game against the Dallas Cowboys, and his 26-yard catch against the Atlanta Falcons in 2012 that helped him eclipse Jerry Rice's single-season receiving yard record.
There are a few active players on ESPN's list, like Myles Garrett, Jefferson, Patrick Mahomes, and Christian McCaffrey, to name a few. It's cool to think about how the careers of players like Aidan Hutchinson, Jahmyr Gibbs, and Amon-Ra St. Brown, for example, can lead to future inclusion on an All Half Century Team. Detroit could definitely use more love by then, especially if this core wins a championship.
