Calvin Johnson, the receiver better known as “Megatron,” has been named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility.
In nine seasons with the Detroit Lions, Johnson made six Pro Bowls. He caught 731 passes and scored 84 touchdowns. He was an All-Pro three times and his 1,964 yards receiving in 2012, for an average of 123 yards a game, still stands as the NFL single-season record.
Much like another Lions Hall of Famer, Barry Sanders, Johnson retired unexpectedly in the prime of his career — at age 30 _–leaving fans wondering if he had left too soon.
The Hall of Fame committee didn’t think so, and ultimately, Johnson’s status as a pre-eminent playmaker — he had five games with 200-plus yards receiving — got him into the hall on the first try.
He’ll join Charles Woodson in the hall, along with a handful of other players who will be announced later in Saturday night’s NFL Honors awards show.
Woodson finished his career with 65 interceptions and led the league in that category twice. His 13 defensive touchdowns are tied for the career record.
He played his first eight and last three years in Oakland, sandwiched around seven years in Green Bay, where he won his only Super Bowl title.
He and Marcus Allen are the only players to win a Heisman, the AP Rookie of the Year, AP Player of the Year and a Super Bowl.
The rest of the class of 2021 is to be announced later, with Peyton Manning expected to be a shoo-in on this, his first year of eligibility.
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