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Calvin Johnson, the Lions wide receiver who is inducted into the Professional Football Hall of Fame this weekend, has been at odds with his former team since they exercised their right to force him to repay $ 1.6 million of his signing bonus when he retired while still under contract. And a recent Lions offer hasn’t helped Johnson feel any better.
According to Dave Birkett of Detroit Free Press, the Lions sent Johnson a proposal to repay the $ 1.6 million by paying him $ 500,000 per year for three years in exchange for 28 hours of work per year for the team, plus a one-time donation of 100,000. dollars to Johnson’s foundation.
Johnson has indicated that what he wants is just to get back the $ 1.6 million he paid the Lions.
“I mean, that’s not what I paid back, put it like that. . . . So they’re not serious, ”Johnson said. “That’s all.”
Johnson said it “didn’t help” that the Lions fired a team employee who is friends with Johnson because the employee provided documents to Johnson regarding the team’s offer. Johnson says the employee was just trying to work things out between the two parties.
The job the Lions wanted from Johnson has reportedly resulted in various promotional appearances, including five hours on the day the Lions consider removing Johnson’s No.81 jersey.
According to the report, the Lions couldn’t just pay Johnson the money without asking him for promotional appearances or other work, as the league checks team payments to former players to make sure teams aren’t bypassing salary. . cap.
So it looks like the Lions think they’ve made Johnson the most generous offer the league rules allow, while Johnson thinks it’s not enough. And so it’s not clear that the Lions’ relationship with one of their greatest players can be mended.
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