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Nothing is settled yet, but it looks like Detroit Lions and Hall of Fame wide receiver Calvin Johnson could be headed for a reconciliation after Johnson’s years of absence from the franchise.
Johnson, who was officially selected to be part of the 2021 Pro Football Hall of Fame class on Saturday, said he recently spoke with Lions owner Sheila Ford Hamp – the first real recognition of the possibility of repair fences.
“You know, I really hope so,” Johnson said on a Hall of Fame conference call Sunday. “I think, I know myself and Sheila Hamp, we’ve had some really good conversations lately, and it’s been good getting to know her and really having those face-to-face conversations.
“So I think we’re headed in the right direction.”
The two sides argued over whether Johnson had to pay back just over $ 1million, the signing bonus he was awarded at the start of his last contract, to the Lions upon his retirement after the 2015 season. .
Last month, Hamp first opened up about the franchise’s fractured relationship with Johnson, and although she declined to go into specifics, she expressed interest in fixing the relationship.
“I hope we can fix things with Calvin Johnson,” Hamp said in January. “He was obviously a great player for us and we’re going to continue to reach out to him and hope we can fix things because I think it’s important that he comes back to the Lions family.
“We would love if he could or he did. So… and we’re 100% behind him for his Hall of Fame ballots and hope he gets it this time around. C he was a great, great player and a great person and we would love to meet him with us, work with us and help us with everything. “
Johnson, who still lives in suburban Detroit, had not done anything publicly with the franchise since his retirement. After initially considering returning to Georgia, where he grew up, he chose to stay in Michigan with his family and work with Primitiv, the cannabis company he and former Lions offensive lineman Rob Sims. they’ve thrown.
Johnson has not had a retirement press conference and has not spoken to the media from the day he retired until he held his annual camp in June. Since then, Johnson has expressed frustration with the way this part of his retirement has been handled on several occasions over the past five years, including telling ESPN in December 2016: “I just wish this ended for a bit. differently.”
Immediately afterwards, former Lions head coach Jim Caldwell – the last NFL coach Johnson played for – said he was hopeful the Lions and Johnson would work out eventually.
“Playing in the National Football League for a team is like family,” Caldwell said in 2017. “Families sometimes have disagreements. They see it a little differently. I have grown children. Sometimes families have disagreements. , we look at it a little bit differently. We chop it up, talk it through. There is a dialogue, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t like them. But we sort out the differences.
“I think the same will happen in this situation. Maybe there is a disagreement, a little bit different point of view, but the most important thing I think is maybe it will all bring a little more dialogue. “
The Lions changed owners from Martha Ford to Hamp and went through two coaches (Caldwell and Matt Patricia) and a change of general manager from Bob Quinn to Brad Holmes when Johnson was out of the franchise.
For the first time since then, it appears Johnson and the club are headed for a reunion. Johnson is the Lions’ all-time leader in receptions (731), receiving yards (11,619) and touchdowns (83).
Fans have been clamoring for the Lions to sort things out with their star receiver – and Johnson spoke about the fans and the city he called home for more than a decade at his Hall of Fame press conference.
“For you guys, that’s it. You were everything to us,” Johnson said. “You filled this stadium. You brought energy every Sunday, even though during my tenure there we were 0-16 [in 2008], but you always believed in us, you all believed in the city and you all believed that we’re going to have a Super Bowl winner over there at some point.
“Hope for you guys it’s sooner rather than later and loved living my entire adult life in Michigan. I’m still here and love you guys and thank you for all the support and the love you’ve shown me since then until now. And Detroit, the city, is number one in my heart for sure. “
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