Social-media posts from Hall of Fame Lions receiver Calvin Johnson created the impression that he and the team have mended fences. According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, they have not.
“For the many who asked, Calvin Johnson’s social media posts yesterday did not mean the Lions have patched things up with the Hall of Fame WR,” Birkett tweeted. “He was at Ford Field for other reasons, and has been there before (for at least 2 games I’m aware of). Perhaps one day.”
As noted earlier by MDS, Johnson tweeted a picture of himself at Ford Field and wrote, “Back in the Lions Den.” Johnson also said that he saw Ford Field from the stands for the first time on Sunday, and that he might buy season tickets next year.
In September, Johnson has made it clear that the path to peace consists of the payment of $1.6 million by the Lions. That’s the amount the Lions collected from Johnson when he retired with unearned signing bonus money remaining on his contract.
The Lions offered Johnson a 28-hour-per-year job that would have paid him $1.5 million over three years, along with a $100,000 contribution to the charity of his choice. Johnson passed.
“It’s the principle,” Johnson said. “It’s the principle of it. You cannot have me back unless you put that money back in my pocket. . . . I’m not working for it.”
The Lions have yet to pay it. If they haven’t paid it by now, it’s hard to imagine that they will.