Calvin Johnson told at least one Lions teammate last season that he was planning to retire, but that teammate didn’t believe it.
Lions receiver Corey Fuller says Johnson talked to him early in the 2015 season about retiring, which Johnson officially did after the season ended. But Fuller didn’t believe Johnson was serious about it.
“Every time he mentioned it to me, I kind of took it as a joke,” Fuller told MLive.com. “Like, ‘Yeah, whatever. No you’re not.’ It wasn’t until close the end of the season, when he said it -- he said it like two or three times -- like, ‘Are you for real?’ Then after the season, when it came out, it was for real.”
Fuller says he’s going to miss Johnson, not only on the field but also in the locker room.
“It still hasn’t hit me all the way yet,” Fuller said. “I’m definitely going to miss him. Miss the jokes. Miss his presence.”
That’s how Lions fans feel. There’s nothing funny about one of the greatest players in franchise history walking away.