Former Detroit Lions star wide receiver Calvin Johnson is ecstatic Matthew Stafford is out of the Motor City. He only wishes he had been granted his release during his playing career.

Johnson said during an interview with Woodward Sports he was glad his former quarterback will have a chance to play for another franchise after Stafford was traded to the Los Angeles Rams earlier this year. “Megatron” also expanded on how his own relationship with the Lions organization fell apart over time.

The three-time All-Pro said he asked if the Lions would trade or release him. Those requests were not met, which in part could explain why Johnson retired in 2016 at just 30 years old.

Although Johnson said he wished things worked out differently for himself, he also said he is about player empowerment and was “happy” for Stafford:

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“You know what, it sucked that they didn’t let me go, but they let Matthew go, but hey, you know, it is what it is,” Johnson said, via TMZ.

Johnson sort of followed in Barry Sanders' footsteps as a Lions legend who decided to hang it up early. That is not the case with Stafford, who now has an opportunity to compete for a Super Bowl in Los Angeles.Stafford had a long and storied career with the Lions, but the outlook should be rosier in Los Angeles. The Rams have a diverse group of weapons and are coming off a season in which Sean McVay discovered how to instill more balance with a steady ground attack.

Stafford and the Rams should be contenders in the NFC. Johnson only wishes the Lions had let him walk so he could have had a shot at the Lombardi Trophy.