Nearly eight years after his stunning retirement, Calvin Johnson says his relationship with the Lions is “trending up.”
Johnson, one of the most talented players in NFL history, spoke to The Post on behalf of Primitiv Performance — a company that he co-owns — that is launching a line of CBD products in Michigan this week.
While he was one of the Lions’ most decorated players in his career, which spanned from 2007-15, there was acrimony after his retirement. The team recouped $1.6 million of his signing bonus, and he has maintained for years a desire for them to pay him him back.
“We’re trending up. We’re trying to come together and make something happen,” Johnson, a 2021 Hall of Fame inductee, said. “Obviously I’d love to be around the team and do more things there and help the guys out. It’s good that we’re moving in the right direction.”
Asked specifically about the money, he declined to elaborate: “Like I said, we’re in the process.”
Johnson expressed positivity about Dan Campbell as “a warrior” and admired the way the Lions fought for the head coach, particularly in the second half of the season. The Lions pushed for a playoff spot until the final week of the season, finishing 9-8 after a 1-6 start.
When Johnson retired, he was 32 years old. He’d completed a season in which he started all 16 games and caught 88 balls for 1,214 yards and nine touchdowns. Many observers felt that he was still in his athletic prime. Nonetheless, he stepped away due to a combination of concerns about his body and doubts that the Lions, who’d gone 7-9, were in a position to compete for a championship.
“Everybody says what your prime is, but I think I knew what my prime was. When your body’s breaking down, it’s not really your prime anymore, and my body was breaking down,” Johnson said. “At the same time, we were in a situation where the team wasn’t building to win a championship.”
So why didn’t he force his way to a contender? He explained that “it’s not like the NBA.” Johnson asked for a trade. The team said no. His only move was to walk away.
Johnson is in the legal cannabis business with his former teammate, Rob Sims, who played on the Lions’ offensive line from 2006-14. Along with a third partner, they own the Primitiv Group dispensary in Niles, Mi. (in the southwest corner of the state) and their products – flower, pre-rolls and they are working on a forthcoming line of edibles – are also sold wholesale to about 60 dispensaries in the state.
On the CBD front, Primitiv Performance is releasing transdermal topical cream and an Oral Rehydration Solution drink. The products are intended to help athletes recover and rehydrate from their workouts and boost their immune systems.
“These are products that I wish I had when I played,” Johnson said.