The Detroit Lions drafted wide receiver Calvin Johnson second overall in the 2007 NFL Draft from the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. He might be the best wide receiver the franchise has ever had. Johnson was a matchup nightmare week in and week out.
USATSI 27156016 168422142 lowres
Calvin Johnson speaks during his Hall of Fame Ring Ceremony at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021.
He played for Detroit from 2007-2015. In 135 career games for the Lions, Johnson caught 731 passes for 11,619 yards receiving and 83 touchdowns, along with averaging 15.9 yards per reception. He also was targeted 1312 times in his NFL career. Johnson had great chemistry with quarterback Matthew Stafford during most of his NFL career. He led the NFL in receiving yards twice during his career.
Detroit Lions WR Calvin Johnson Named To PFF’s All Lions Team Over the Last 20 Years
USATSI 25222807 168422142 lowres
Detroit Lions great Calvin Johnson hypes up the crowd during the first quarter against the Washington Commanders in the NFC divisional round at Ford Field in Detroit on Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025.
Nathan Jahnke of profootballfocus.com created a team full of the best Lions offensive and defensive players over the last 20 seasons. He has Golden Tate, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Megatron as the starting wide receivers. It is not a surprise that Johnson is on the list and is also in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio as well. Jahnke said,
“The Lions’ offense has been one of the NFL’s best in recent seasons, with seven of the 12 players on this roster coming from the 2023 and 2024 campaigns. On paper, this unit would rank among the league’s elite, especially with Hall of Fame wide receiver Calvin Johnson added to the receiving corps.”
It is not a surprise to see this as the top Lions receiving core over the last 20 seasons because Johnson, Tate, and St. Brown have been Detroit’s best wide receivers by a mile. Tate isn’t a hall of famer and St. Brown has a long way to go, but Johnson was just a different beast during his NFL career.
For More Great Football Content
Follow me on Twitter at @glennkaplan13 more great content. To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in college and professional football, click here!