Megatron is a household name when it comes to NFL players. You may not have heard of Calvin Johnson, but you have surely heard of his nickname Megatron—the star wide-receiver who played most of his career in the National Football League (NFL) for the Detroit Lions.
I’d say seeing Megatron in action was one of the great moments in NFL history. He was a fierce competitor, one who whenever he was on the field, created a ripple of anticipation and the crowd roared wildly. He was an explosion of power and agility. A physical freak of nature, an artist at wide receiver who changed the game.
He was a ‘Highlight Reel’. Seemingly unstoppable most of the time with his athletic ability and make you jump out of your seat catches—as analysts described it, ‘he had hops like a kangaroo’. He also made it look easy on the field, and put out numbers rarely seen for a wide receiver.
To put it simply, Megatron was one of the greatest NFL players of all time. He is a future Hall of Fame member whose career defining moments made me and everyone else watching feel like we were witnessing something special. No doubt, he had a huge impact with the way wide receivers play in today’s NFL.
At the end of his amazing nine-year career, Megatron had tallied 11,619 receiving yards and 88 touchdowns. He was a three-time Pro Bowler, a two-time All-Pro selection and the receiver with the second-most receptions and the third-most receiving yards in the history of the NFL. Plus, there are still only four players with more receiving yards than Johnson. Clearly, Megatron was an elite talent.
It wasn’t a surprise when, in 2015, he was enshrined into the Detroit Lions Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility—that same year, he was also chosen as one of the Lions’ 75th season All-Time stars. What an honor!
Now, Megatron still has a strong connection to the game he loves so much. He gets involved with the Lions in various occasions and, back in 2017, even coached some kids at his football camp in his beloved Georgia. It’s been amazing to see him transition from the NFL player to the mentor mentor. Who knows, maybe one of those kids would dream one day to be a future Megatron of the NFL. What a thought!
Looking behind the scenes on what shaped Megatron’s success, it’s safe to say that without his amazing work ethic, devotion to the game and excellent mental preparation, none of his successes would be possible. As a wide receiver, it goes beyond catching the ball—it’s about the ability to anticipate the play, to read the defense and understand how to stretch the field.
Even after all these years, Megatron’s amazing feats on the field have stayed in my memory. I will never forget the raw power and awesomeness of his play; it was truly breathtaking. Hands down, I think he was the most talented receiver of the decade and, even if his playing days are over, I doubt we’ll ever see someone like him again.
Although his million dollar contracts and trips to massive stadiums full of people are in the past, he’s still in the hearts and minds of the NFL fans and me. Megatron is an tells reminder that legends never die.