Calvin Johnson is one of the best wide receivers in NFL history. Megatron struck fear into the hearts of opposing defenses every game for his nine-year NFL career with the Detroit Lions. He set the NFL's single-season receiving yards record back in 2012 and has held it ever since. However, he recently made a bold prediction about the future of that receiving record.
Johnson recently sat down with Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. In the interview, the first-ballot Hall of Famer shared that he is preparing for the day when the record is no longer his.
“I mean, it's bound to fall at some point the way it's going, so it is what it is,” Johnson said. “I held it down, I don't know even know how long, over a decade now.”
Johnson set the 1,964-yard record in 2012 during a season where he hauled in 122 passes in 16 games. He broke Jerry Rice's 1,848 yards from the 1995 season, which stood for 17 years.
Megatron cites the NFL's increasing emphasis on offense as a major reason his record will eventually be surpassed.
“They want more offense, man, so at some point (it's going to happen),” Johnson said. “You got to be healthy. You got to play really a full 17 now. … That's the key. You got to be healthy. If you can play 17, guys have put up numbers, you're going to put up numbers. That 17, you get that extra game to put another 150 or 200 (yards).”
Johnson makes a good point about the numbers of games each season. The NFL is clearly interested in expanding the regular season to 18 games, which would make it even easier for someone to beat Johnson's record.
Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson shares why he stayed in Detroit despite head coaching interest
Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson was the hottest name on the head coaching market earlier this offseason. Johnson has turned the Lions into one of the NFL's best offenses, which has caught the attention of several teams. He interviewed with the Atlanta Falcons, Carolina Panthers, and Washington Commanders.
Washington's brass seemed dead set on hiring Johnson and were clearly irked when he cancelled his in-person interview on short notice. Johnson then announced his intention to stay in Detroit.
When asked about his decision, Johnson made it clear he is in no hurry to get a head coaching job.
“I'm not willing to go down the other path yet unless I feel really good about how it's gonna unfold,” Johnson said, according to Colton Pouncy of The Athletic.
Pouncy added that Johnson wants to set himself up for a second contract in Detroit. He seems to really be enjoying his situation with the Lions.
One reason why Johnson could be comfortable staying in Detroit is his connection with head coach Dan Campbell. The pair first crossed paths in Miami, where Campbell was tight ends coach and an interim head coach. At the time, Johnson was an offensive assistant and worked his way up to being tight ends coach.
It was serendipity that Johnson was already on Detroit's coaching staff as a tight ends coach when Campbell was hired. Johnson helped Campbell retool the offense in 2021 after previous offensive coordinator Anthony Lynn was fired in the middle of the season. Johnson has been a hugely important part of Detroit's offensive production ever since.
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