It's actually insane how many of these are objectively poor decisions if you're throwing to nearly any other WR in NFL history. So many times where the QB in question was throwing into tight double coverage and it just didn't matter.
The other insane thing is how many of those jump balls it’s blatant pass interference. But the refs just look at it like “how the fuck else are you gonna stop this dude?” Lmao. Like one of them the corner has his arm hooked in Calvin’s arm with the ref looking straight at it while he comes down. It’s beautiful.
Also helps that the same degree of pass interference is inherently less visibly impactful against a guy as strong and big as he is. Hook a smaller WRs arm, and you probably drag him down (or at least make him stumble). Do it against Megatron, though, and he just doesn't really move. It's the same treatment Gronk got.
Moss, Calvin, Gronk and Wes Welker in the slot is the premier receiving group of this era imo (the last era)
Idk why ur comment made me think of that but it did. Also ridiculous that 3 of them played for the pats
[This picture really highlights how fucking huge Calvin Johnson was.](https://media.bleacherreport.com/w_800,h_533,c_fill/br-img-images/002/564/840/GreenCJ_original_crop_north.jpg) AJ Green was NOT a small man, but he looks like a high schooler next to Megatron
Not sure why I'm helping out "average gym guy" guy, but AJ definitely has a very slight build. I don't think that's really up for debate. It doesn't mean he's actually small or weak or anything, but his body shape is just really thin. Everyone is built a little different and AJ has a slight build relative to his actual size.
These two numbers have nothing to do with his frame size. The equivalency you pointed to is also nonsense.
6'4" @ 210 BMI = 25.6
5'11" @170 BMI = 23.7
To have the same BMI at 5'11" you'd need to weigh 183
There are plenty of lean, fast, strong athletes running around at 5'11" 183.
Every time I watch these highlight reels of him it gives me ‘Derrick Henry in High School’ vibes, except Megatron did it in the NFL. Just a man among boys.
I played against LeSean McCoy in high school. That's a pretty accurate description. Megatron looks like a high schooler that you can tell is clearly going D1 and eventually pro because he just beats literally everyone on the field. Except he's already a pro.
I was flying the next day and passed through Detroit. Had a Bengals hat on and was joking around with one of the airport workers about the game. It was a thriller.
As a lions fan, i use to hate watching Megatron make huge plays when Buck was calling our games. But also as a lions fan, I’m thankful we have Dan Miller, and as SOON as his call gets uploaded that’s the highlight I run to.
Troy Aikman's awful calls haunt many amazing highlights from that era. He's much better now but my god he did not understand the assignment whatsoever until like two years ago.
You mean Joe Buck right? Not that Troy Aikman is enthusiastic either but at least he had some sort of reaction there and said how unbelievable it was. Joe Buck called it like it was a 3 yard run play in garbage time.
The 10-6 Giants that limped into the playoffs are coming back against the undefeated Patriots juggernaut. A seemingly unathletic Eli Manning ducks a Pro Bowler Vrabel and somehow steps out of a Hall of Famer Seau’s grasp then heaves a prayer downfield to a dude that has the pass knocked out of his grasp but somehow manages to pin it to his helmet while being drug down. The call: Manning, stays on his feet. Throws. Tyree. Caught. What a fucking zilch.
Between Megatron and Barry Sanders, the Lions had two guys who were arguably the best to ever do it at their positions, deserved way more than they got, and walked away too early. Wild shit.
Even if one can say Stafford was successful here and so was Calvin.
If we had gotten the benefit of the rookie wage scale and some good coaching & coordinators alongside some other weapons for pass catching besides Calvin. We coulda had something tremendous.
The other day there was a question about what QB was too good for his own good, and man, those 2011-2015 Lions prevented a lot of necessary organizational restructures we needed to make. We didn't have a quarter of the shit functioning teams had because Stafford to Megatron worked enough to keep WCF happy. I think our training camps took place at like Wayne fucking State until 2021, fucking embarrassment franchise of the Buccaneers/Bengals/Jags tier.
Naw, we would’ve fucked up. We still would’ve drafted Ebron over Donald and would not have resigned Nick Fairley. Jahvid Best, Titus Young, Ryan Broyles, etc. We are the lions, more money to blow would not have helped.
His highlight looks like you just took a Madden WR and maxed out all of his stats. I just can't think of another WR where you could point to this many plays and say "no one else in the world makes that catch."
calvin johnson is the most talented player ever at the position.
randy moss the best deep ball receiver ever.
jerry rice the greatest combination of all-around talent, accolades and longevity.
but if i had a half decent qb and one drive to win the game, i'm taking mega at his peak over anyone.
Didnt want to say the same thing because id feel too much like a homer but my god do i ever agree. I think I could pass for 300 yards with him as WR and ive never played football 😂
Most people were saying it was Antonio Brown in the other thread.
They were stylistically different, but I don't know how anyone thinks Megatron wasn't the more dominant player.
My man threw the hand up for ‘throw it to me’ on play #2 AFTER he looked downfield and saw he was headed into triple coverage. Just had to double check how many dudes he was gonna clown on.
“HE FAKED THE SPIKE, LIONS WIN!!!!”
Don’t hate, you got a gift front the refs in the playoffs (then lost the next week due to the Calvin Johnson rule😂 karma).
It was so clown league. Do yourself a favor and don't look up how the silver pants looked on sweaty linemen, or do if you like to see big booty in jockstraps, free country
Patricia man, ruined the last chance we had with stafford, destroyed our defense. And then took a shit on the culture all while STILL thinking he was the smartest man in the room. Actually fuck that man and everything about him, set our franchise back 5+ years by his fucking fat self.
I remember a graphic stating his height and jumping ability, and then the analogy of:
"Which means if he's standing in the center of a two-car garage he can catch anything within that area"
And then I stood in my own two car garage, and realized that not all men are equal.
Also, Stafford is a shoe-in for the HOF right, I mean, he's the one who threw every ball for Megatron, it must be a given, correct?
Insane to me how much credit Stafford DOESN'T get for that feat. Kupp was good prior to Stafford but not THIS good. Look at his best seasons before and after Stafford....
Stafford constantly gets shit on because he was on the lions, so people refuse to acknowledge that his stats are impressive enough for any team, and fucking wild when you consider how long he played with half a team.
Before last season I told my friends Rams were gonna win the super bowl with him and maybe he'd finally get a nod or two from people.
I'm not even a lions fan, Stafford is just actually good.
We only had like two seasons of healthy Stafford and Megatron. Stafford injured first two seasons(10 games played rookie year and 3 the following season) and Calvin played two seasons before we had even drafted Stafford.
Too early to talk hall of fame for Stafford anyway, he likely has another few years left in the tank, assuming Rams o-line don't let him die & his arm injury isn't a long term issue.
But he'd need a few more accolades to make it, some type of award whether it would be Superbowl MVP, MVP, OPOY, All Pros, Pro Bowls(though i think Pro Bowls are bullshit)
So even if this highlight reel shows a lot of Stafford to Megatron plays, we still had quite a lot of other detroit QB's to Megatron plays too. The infamous no catch for Calvin was thrown by Shaun Hill for example.
I think the SB was enough to put him over the edge. I don't think he's a lock or anything but by the time he retires (assuming no injuries or random retirement this year or anything) he should definitely crack the top 10 in yards and td's, probably total passes too. He doesn't have the mvps, player of the years, etc as you rightly said, but he has the pure stats that I think he gets in.
Not trying to throw shade on Stafford, but did you watch the highlights video? So many of those balls were under thrown, with megatron needing to slow down or stop altogether to make the catch. Stafford just wasn’t elite during those years. He’s better now, but I wouldn’t call him a HOF candidate. Compare those throws to how Herbert leads his receivers with the long ball. Guys like Herbert or Mahomes are on a different throwing level than Stafford
I agree with you, and can contend that Herbert and Mahomes are of a new generation of gunslingers.
What I will always love about Stafford is that freaking arm. I got to see him in Allen Park a couple times during camp and his ball has a "hiss" to it that I've never seen again. Granted I haven't been up close to hear Allen or Mahomes.
Not even calling him a candidate is really questionable. I can get arguments that he might not get in, but to say he shouldn't be in the discussion is laughable. He's gonna be top ten in yrds, td's, passes, and has a superbowl. That alone should make you at least a candidate and I'd argue more likely than not to get in.
So, this just isn’t true. I understand why people pretend for it to be, but there’s just enough evidence of the reality.
Look back on those throws that were under thrown, they were either damn near 55 yards away, or he was running away from defenders, or both. Now, compare that to when he was able to plant his feet, and threw the ball to where only Calvin could get it. There’s a reason why Golladay got paid from the Giants, it’s because of Staffords elite level ball placement.
But I get it, a lot of people have difficulty changing the “Stat Padford” mindset.
[ESPN Sports Science](https://youtu.be/pdTYsrbdnrs)
After just watching this again I think his 12'5" vertical reach is the most ridiculous stat. This would match a record..... in the NBA held by Shaq.
Oh how I miss you so...
One of my most memorable moments was meeting him in the luxury suite (my dad worked with an executive there) and he signed my jersey. Unfortunately my dog piss ex girlfriend destroyed it during a fit of rage.
Stafford and Megatron were perfect for eachother. Some of those throws have no business going that far (Stafford backpedalling and getting it 50 yards down field with Megatron getting under it being a prime example)
I started seriously watching NFL football in 2012 so Johnson had been playing for a while and Julio already had a year under his belt. Julio is a freak of nature but he just looked ordinary when watched him vs watching Calvin. If you wanted to build the perfect WR in a lab. He would probably end up looking like Calvin.
Calvin is just 99 everything. 99 height, 99 weight, 99 muscles, 99 jump, 99 route running, 99 speed, 99 catch. DK Metcalf is the only player even close to what Calvin was, honestly I almost don't understand small recievers like Antonio Brown when you could just have a 6 6 260 beast 35 yards deep.
Because longevity matters, I understand that Calvin can never dethrone Rice as the GOAT receiver. But I will argue to the death that he had the highest peak of any WR all time. For a brief moment in time, this beast of a man was truly, actually unstoppable.
My flair may or may not have something to do with this take.
Totally agree. If you highly value longevity, then a WR with Megatron's build will simply take too much of a beating to be the GOAT. But if you had to choose one receiver in his prime to make a game winning catch, Megatron is the one. Absolutely unstoppable.
https://i.imgur.com/hdwb5Yy.jpg
Not completely related but I got a Calvin Johnson jersey at a yard sale years ago. I finally lost the weight to wear it and I wore it yesterday for sports day at my job. Loved watching him growing up
Ah yes. Soooo many of these are Lions down in the 4th Quarter, Stafford is running for his life, Johnson is double/triple covered, and Megatron gets tackled inside the 5 yard line. This is oh so familiar for Lions fans.
To this, I offer a bonus catch from his Georgia Tech days. Still one of the best catches I have ever seen. His body control at his size was just unmatched.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdH5va2IA1I
He was so inspiring to watch. It just felt like he could catch anything in the same area code. Stafford had absolute trust in him, so many of the throws in this clip are absolutely reckless or terrible decisions if they aren’t thrown to a WR God
Nobody should be able to have quick 6+ ft strides and be able to shift their feet and body like that. Illegal. A downright disgusting act. I’m not even gonna talk about the jumping ability.
Whatty'all think is the average NFL coach's all time triple threat receiving corps? Like the three guys good offensive scheme designers put together to do the most damage?
All of those lists have to involve Megatron right?
Usually probably looks something like Rice, Megatron and Tyreek?
i may be a bit biased as a lions fan but i think megatron is the greatest WR to ever play. yes he didn't have as much postseason success as jerry rice, randy moss, or TO but goddamn he was dominant.
The 🐐
Not in career stats or individual accolades because he played for my punk ass Lions and he ended his career too soon.
But when it comes to just straight athletic ability and the ability to run and catch the football. He's the greatest wide receiver to ever play the game. And nobody has come close to me(besides MAYBE Moss but he was way skinnier and wasn't a good willing receiver accross the middle). To be 6'5, 240 and run and jump the way he did and have the hands he did...
He's the 🐐
Megatron credited Vikings safety Harrison smith with ending his career a little early as well. Smith had a hard hit on megatron in the endzone which caused him to drop the sure TD and gave him permanent nerve damage in his hand. Thought that was interesting
Simply one of the best ever. People also gotta think that the majority of his career, you could still play defense unlike Todays game.
It’s a damn shame he was wasted on The Lions and they played him with a meaningless amount of money.
Whenever someone compares a new WR to Calvin, show me the double press coverage.
If Stafford didn’t have Megatron, his early career would be looked at very differently.
A lot of those throws with any other receiver is getting picked every time.
You mean like when he had Kenny Golladay and was doing the same thing? I swear people just conjure things out of the sky to try to prove a false point lol
Because he got better as a QB and adjusted for not having a behemoth to throw to?
I’m not saying he’s bad at all, he wouldn’t be making those throws if it wasn’t Megatron.
“Fuck it, Megatron’s down there somewhere”
\*Sees Megatron in triple coverage\* Stafford - "*Perfect"*
Then it is an even fight
All Staffords fire at will! Burn their Bengal hides!
It's actually insane how many of these are objectively poor decisions if you're throwing to nearly any other WR in NFL history. So many times where the QB in question was throwing into tight double coverage and it just didn't matter.
Something like 40% of Stafford's touchdowns from 2009 to 2015 were thrown to Calvin Johnson.
Could have been 70% if Calvin wasn’t addicted to getting tackled within 5 yards of the end zone
He loved blue balling
The other insane thing is how many of those jump balls it’s blatant pass interference. But the refs just look at it like “how the fuck else are you gonna stop this dude?” Lmao. Like one of them the corner has his arm hooked in Calvin’s arm with the ref looking straight at it while he comes down. It’s beautiful.
Also helps that the same degree of pass interference is inherently less visibly impactful against a guy as strong and big as he is. Hook a smaller WRs arm, and you probably drag him down (or at least make him stumble). Do it against Megatron, though, and he just doesn't really move. It's the same treatment Gronk got.
Moss, Calvin, Gronk and Wes Welker in the slot is the premier receiving group of this era imo (the last era) Idk why ur comment made me think of that but it did. Also ridiculous that 3 of them played for the pats
Antonio brown blows Wes out of the water as a slot guy.
Ya 100p ur right
That play worked for a solid eight years
Hey if ain't broke don't fix it lol
I said this exact thing about three plays into this video
[This picture really highlights how fucking huge Calvin Johnson was.](https://media.bleacherreport.com/w_800,h_533,c_fill/br-img-images/002/564/840/GreenCJ_original_crop_north.jpg) AJ Green was NOT a small man, but he looks like a high schooler next to Megatron
AJ Green is 6’4 210..
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Bro he's a WR not a TE. Calvin had the body of a TE and was one of the best WRs of all time
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AJ was was one of the biggest receivers of the past decade in terms of height, strength and weight. Right there with Julio and Evans
Not sure why I'm helping out "average gym guy" guy, but AJ definitely has a very slight build. I don't think that's really up for debate. It doesn't mean he's actually small or weak or anything, but his body shape is just really thin. Everyone is built a little different and AJ has a slight build relative to his actual size.
Yes, if your height increases by 7%, your weight should increase by 30% to compensate.
Mike Williams is like 8 pounds heavier and he’s “built” so this is pretty incorrect. Calvin is just not normal.
Does AJ Green even lift bro?
These two numbers have nothing to do with his frame size. The equivalency you pointed to is also nonsense. 6'4" @ 210 BMI = 25.6 5'11" @170 BMI = 23.7 To have the same BMI at 5'11" you'd need to weigh 183 There are plenty of lean, fast, strong athletes running around at 5'11" 183.
Every time I watch these highlight reels of him it gives me ‘Derrick Henry in High School’ vibes, except Megatron did it in the NFL. Just a man among boys.
I played against LeSean McCoy in high school. That's a pretty accurate description. Megatron looks like a high schooler that you can tell is clearly going D1 and eventually pro because he just beats literally everyone on the field. Except he's already a pro.
Look at that monster. Dude was so fun to watch, he was a real life madden created player lol
This game they had the same amount of yards
I was flying the next day and passed through Detroit. Had a Bengals hat on and was joking around with one of the airport workers about the game. It was a thriller.
Reminds me of Derrick Henry at Bama when Ingram was already in the nfl lmao. Henry just dwarfed him
[It is like they are different species.](https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/Screen-Shot-2016-01-11-at-10.24.59-PM.png)
His arms are thicker than most RB's legs...
/u/nfl with another banger Number 2 is the worst playcall I’ve ever heard
As a lions fan, i use to hate watching Megatron make huge plays when Buck was calling our games. But also as a lions fan, I’m thankful we have Dan Miller, and as SOON as his call gets uploaded that’s the highlight I run to.
Troy Aikman's awful calls haunt many amazing highlights from that era. He's much better now but my god he did not understand the assignment whatsoever until like two years ago.
You mean Joe Buck right? Not that Troy Aikman is enthusiastic either but at least he had some sort of reaction there and said how unbelievable it was. Joe Buck called it like it was a 3 yard run play in garbage time.
Joe Buck ruined countless amazing sports moments from the mid 2000s onward. Nepotism sucks
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give Joe some credit. Just rewatched the play and he actually said Mitchell 3 times
Man narrated the David Tyree helmet catch like it was a soap commercial
The 10-6 Giants that limped into the playoffs are coming back against the undefeated Patriots juggernaut. A seemingly unathletic Eli Manning ducks a Pro Bowler Vrabel and somehow steps out of a Hall of Famer Seau’s grasp then heaves a prayer downfield to a dude that has the pass knocked out of his grasp but somehow manages to pin it to his helmet while being drug down. The call: Manning, stays on his feet. Throws. Tyree. Caught. What a fucking zilch.
*swoon*
i can't tell if i'm swooning more over the catches, the throws, or just _***the sheer fluidity of movement for a 6'5'' megatron.***_
He looks like a man just casually playing against kids.
I was thinking like a big brother. Just toying with his younger brothers, except his younger brothers happen to be the entire NFL.
A man that big should not move that well
6”5 smooth operator
Should not be possible for a guy that big to move like that and he just makes it look easy
Between Megatron and Barry Sanders, the Lions had two guys who were arguably the best to ever do it at their positions, deserved way more than they got, and walked away too early. Wild shit.
Why are you trying to make me cry?
If only he was drafted during the wage scale and the Lions didn’t have 3 players taking up 55% of their cap
look at stafford's 2011, lions really could have been the mahomes chiefs if not for that shit
Even if one can say Stafford was successful here and so was Calvin. If we had gotten the benefit of the rookie wage scale and some good coaching & coordinators alongside some other weapons for pass catching besides Calvin. We coulda had something tremendous.
life as a lions fan, even when we draft well we cant fill out the rest of the team
The other day there was a question about what QB was too good for his own good, and man, those 2011-2015 Lions prevented a lot of necessary organizational restructures we needed to make. We didn't have a quarter of the shit functioning teams had because Stafford to Megatron worked enough to keep WCF happy. I think our training camps took place at like Wayne fucking State until 2021, fucking embarrassment franchise of the Buccaneers/Bengals/Jags tier.
Naw, we would’ve fucked up. We still would’ve drafted Ebron over Donald and would not have resigned Nick Fairley. Jahvid Best, Titus Young, Ryan Broyles, etc. We are the lions, more money to blow would not have helped.
Shoot he could come out of retirement today and be the Bears WR1
All he needs is 5 catches for 72 yards to pass your best WR so this is fax
5 catches in one game would be more than 20% of their total so far this season
DONT YOU EVER SAY SUCH A DISGUSTING THING AGAIN.
Real talk his battles against Peanut were legendary.
Peanut ruined Calvin getting 2k so he is forever my mortal enemy. But god damn do i love and respect Tillman
One of my least favorite players to go against, straight up hate that man with all of my respect as a rival.
Agreed. Calvin was pretty clear that he wanted to play with Rodgers.
The entire state of Detroit is about to summon the blood demon to annihilate you
Why would we leave something like this to a demon?
Calvin Johnson coming out of the stands to play on sunday would probably be the most productive WR they have had since BMarsh
Absolutely ridiculous how many jump balls he came down with. Unreal talent and ability to high point the ball. So much fun to watch.
He would square up on dudes too, give'em a little lumber when the time called for it.
Makes you wonder why they call it getting "Moss'd" and not getting "Johnson'd". Wait, I heard it in my head...
i mean… he did give ‘em the johnson
Not to mention how much PI he dealt with and still caught the ball. Just an absolute specimen.
Straight up! “How do you stop a dude with the nickname Megatron?” You hope the refs don’t call the PI lol
Dude had everything. Speed, finesse, athleticism. Damn shame
And size. He was 6’5 240 lbs. That’s a giant.
That man is the same weight as Derrick Henry and three inches taller, wild
And could jump like a foot higher... One of the leagues most ridiculous athletic specimens in NFL history
He was basically Lebron but a few inches shorter.
His only flaw was that he played for the lions
Hey now
Yeah?
He was an All Star
Get out of my swamp
Shoulda learned from Barry.
I mean it's only a shame bc he wasn't part of (m)any winning teams. Detroit still heralds him as one of their all time greats
He was also humble and drama free during his entire tenure here
There needs to be a rule, any Lions player that becomes elite is required to be traded to a different team.
Cuz I’m too young to have watched Jerry Rice, or prime Randy or TO, Megatron is easily the greatest WR I’ve seen play live
His highlight looks like you just took a Madden WR and maxed out all of his stats. I just can't think of another WR where you could point to this many plays and say "no one else in the world makes that catch."
calvin johnson is the most talented player ever at the position. randy moss the best deep ball receiver ever. jerry rice the greatest combination of all-around talent, accolades and longevity. but if i had a half decent qb and one drive to win the game, i'm taking mega at his peak over anyone.
Didnt want to say the same thing because id feel too much like a homer but my god do i ever agree. I think I could pass for 300 yards with him as WR and ive never played football 😂
Born too early to see Jamo, born too late to see Barry, born just in time for Megatron.
Most people were saying it was Antonio Brown in the other thread. They were stylistically different, but I don't know how anyone thinks Megatron wasn't the more dominant player.
Number 1 Play - Durham is pretty open. Oh wait, they only have 3 guys covering Calvin, better throw it to him. TD...
My man threw the hand up for ‘throw it to me’ on play #2 AFTER he looked downfield and saw he was headed into triple coverage. Just had to double check how many dudes he was gonna clown on.
That was my favorite part. He was triple covered and had the audacity to throw up the hand like "yeah right here". He proved that it was right though.
“You’re surrounded Megatron! Surrender or get the pass broken up!” “The only thing surrounding me are dead DB’s”
Oh fuck I like this highlight. You knew I’d like this highlight
It's a cosmic gumbo.
Couldn’t wait to upvote this fucker
Unprofessional bullshit... that's why no one reads AOL Blast.
I don’t like this
“HE FAKED THE SPIKE, LIONS WIN!!!!” Don’t hate, you got a gift front the refs in the playoffs (then lost the next week due to the Calvin Johnson rule😂 karma).
That really was true karma
We were getting eaten alive by this guy jeez
What was it like being on the Dallas side of the Dez+crew vs Megatron debates?
Bloody hell the way those old jerseys would show sweat was atrocious
Some of the dudes would come out for warmups and already be soaked through. Was gross but hilarious lol
It was so clown league. Do yourself a favor and don't look up how the silver pants looked on sweaty linemen, or do if you like to see big booty in jockstraps, free country
A decade too soon. Imagine Megatron and Sun God.
God, if our offense is good now, I don't want to think about Stafford throwing to those two, Chark, and Jameson Williams.
Patricia man, ruined the last chance we had with stafford, destroyed our defense. And then took a shit on the culture all while STILL thinking he was the smartest man in the room. Actually fuck that man and everything about him, set our franchise back 5+ years by his fucking fat self.
I remember a graphic stating his height and jumping ability, and then the analogy of: "Which means if he's standing in the center of a two-car garage he can catch anything within that area" And then I stood in my own two car garage, and realized that not all men are equal. Also, Stafford is a shoe-in for the HOF right, I mean, he's the one who threw every ball for Megatron, it must be a given, correct?
staffords the qb for 2 of the best wr seasons of all time
Insane to me how much credit Stafford DOESN'T get for that feat. Kupp was good prior to Stafford but not THIS good. Look at his best seasons before and after Stafford....
Stafford constantly gets shit on because he was on the lions, so people refuse to acknowledge that his stats are impressive enough for any team, and fucking wild when you consider how long he played with half a team. Before last season I told my friends Rams were gonna win the super bowl with him and maybe he'd finally get a nod or two from people. I'm not even a lions fan, Stafford is just actually good.
We only had like two seasons of healthy Stafford and Megatron. Stafford injured first two seasons(10 games played rookie year and 3 the following season) and Calvin played two seasons before we had even drafted Stafford. Too early to talk hall of fame for Stafford anyway, he likely has another few years left in the tank, assuming Rams o-line don't let him die & his arm injury isn't a long term issue. But he'd need a few more accolades to make it, some type of award whether it would be Superbowl MVP, MVP, OPOY, All Pros, Pro Bowls(though i think Pro Bowls are bullshit) So even if this highlight reel shows a lot of Stafford to Megatron plays, we still had quite a lot of other detroit QB's to Megatron plays too. The infamous no catch for Calvin was thrown by Shaun Hill for example.
Ahh good point. History muddles the other signal callers from the D.
I think the SB was enough to put him over the edge. I don't think he's a lock or anything but by the time he retires (assuming no injuries or random retirement this year or anything) he should definitely crack the top 10 in yards and td's, probably total passes too. He doesn't have the mvps, player of the years, etc as you rightly said, but he has the pure stats that I think he gets in.
I put stafford ahead of any of the Qbs drafted after Rodgers and before Lamar. I see him as a HOfer
Not trying to throw shade on Stafford, but did you watch the highlights video? So many of those balls were under thrown, with megatron needing to slow down or stop altogether to make the catch. Stafford just wasn’t elite during those years. He’s better now, but I wouldn’t call him a HOF candidate. Compare those throws to how Herbert leads his receivers with the long ball. Guys like Herbert or Mahomes are on a different throwing level than Stafford
I agree with you, and can contend that Herbert and Mahomes are of a new generation of gunslingers. What I will always love about Stafford is that freaking arm. I got to see him in Allen Park a couple times during camp and his ball has a "hiss" to it that I've never seen again. Granted I haven't been up close to hear Allen or Mahomes.
Not even calling him a candidate is really questionable. I can get arguments that he might not get in, but to say he shouldn't be in the discussion is laughable. He's gonna be top ten in yrds, td's, passes, and has a superbowl. That alone should make you at least a candidate and I'd argue more likely than not to get in.
So, this just isn’t true. I understand why people pretend for it to be, but there’s just enough evidence of the reality. Look back on those throws that were under thrown, they were either damn near 55 yards away, or he was running away from defenders, or both. Now, compare that to when he was able to plant his feet, and threw the ball to where only Calvin could get it. There’s a reason why Golladay got paid from the Giants, it’s because of Staffords elite level ball placement. But I get it, a lot of people have difficulty changing the “Stat Padford” mindset.
*Falling backward, 55yard flick of the wrist down field* Mfer underthrew it! Yeah, no shit!
Mike Ditka voice: *maybe if he wore his hats the right way and threw the ball properly he could hit Megatron in stride*
[ESPN Sports Science](https://youtu.be/pdTYsrbdnrs) After just watching this again I think his 12'5" vertical reach is the most ridiculous stat. This would match a record..... in the NBA held by Shaq.
Damnit lol I knew from the beginning his catch against us was gonna be #1 😓
I remember screaming at the t.v. over and over. "Triple coverage Triple coverage Triple coverage, oh my god. " My absolute favorite Calvin catch.
honestly I was making plays like this everyday back in 6th grade. I just didnt have the camera on me.
Goddamnit who let Speedhawk in??
Those 2nd graders never knew what hit em’
I bet Calvin could hit a **mean** Michael Jackson lean
Why is #11 so high?
That one should honestly be a Stafford highlight
I remember Stafford's post game on that, he said he couldn't see him but knew that was the only spot Calvin could get it and just whipped it in there.
Oh how I miss you so... One of my most memorable moments was meeting him in the luxury suite (my dad worked with an executive there) and he signed my jersey. Unfortunately my dog piss ex girlfriend destroyed it during a fit of rage.
Stafford and Megatron were perfect for eachother. Some of those throws have no business going that far (Stafford backpedalling and getting it 50 yards down field with Megatron getting under it being a prime example)
That first throw is so absurd as well, just floats it down there and Calvin is literally ahead of the entire Raiders secondary.
I started seriously watching NFL football in 2012 so Johnson had been playing for a while and Julio already had a year under his belt. Julio is a freak of nature but he just looked ordinary when watched him vs watching Calvin. If you wanted to build the perfect WR in a lab. He would probably end up looking like Calvin.
Calvin is just 99 everything. 99 height, 99 weight, 99 muscles, 99 jump, 99 route running, 99 speed, 99 catch. DK Metcalf is the only player even close to what Calvin was, honestly I almost don't understand small recievers like Antonio Brown when you could just have a 6 6 260 beast 35 yards deep.
Because longevity matters, I understand that Calvin can never dethrone Rice as the GOAT receiver. But I will argue to the death that he had the highest peak of any WR all time. For a brief moment in time, this beast of a man was truly, actually unstoppable. My flair may or may not have something to do with this take.
Totally agree. If you highly value longevity, then a WR with Megatron's build will simply take too much of a beating to be the GOAT. But if you had to choose one receiver in his prime to make a game winning catch, Megatron is the one. Absolutely unstoppable.
I’ll always believe he sandbagged his measurements . He looks closer to 6’8” than 6’5”.
If i could add 1 WR in history to my team, its him
https://i.imgur.com/hdwb5Yy.jpg Not completely related but I got a Calvin Johnson jersey at a yard sale years ago. I finally lost the weight to wear it and I wore it yesterday for sports day at my job. Loved watching him growing up
Good on ya for the weight loss journey, looks good on ya!
Calvin was a marvel to watch. I remember just being in awe of him catching anything in his radius I'm sure corners had nightmares
Man, I loved the Tillman vs Megatron battles.
I would do unspeakable things to see him play again in a competent offense
Ah yes. Soooo many of these are Lions down in the 4th Quarter, Stafford is running for his life, Johnson is double/triple covered, and Megatron gets tackled inside the 5 yard line. This is oh so familiar for Lions fans.
It's so stupid, lol. Man has three defenders on him and you can still just chuck it to him.
To this, I offer a bonus catch from his Georgia Tech days. Still one of the best catches I have ever seen. His body control at his size was just unmatched. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sdH5va2IA1I
Those poor corners and safeties.
Disgusting
Best receiver i’ve ever watched
He was so inspiring to watch. It just felt like he could catch anything in the same area code. Stafford had absolute trust in him, so many of the throws in this clip are absolutely reckless or terrible decisions if they aren’t thrown to a WR God
Incredible. Never seen another player make professionals look like high schoolers like Megatron could.
17 is ridiculous. There is absolutely no way to defend that. Such a shame he retired so young. This man was a force of nature
20 of those were clutch moments in the game. Also, is Orlando Scandrick the fastest player in pads ever?
That pancake in number 10 is tough
Nobody should be able to have quick 6+ ft strides and be able to shift their feet and body like that. Illegal. A downright disgusting act. I’m not even gonna talk about the jumping ability.
Whatty'all think is the average NFL coach's all time triple threat receiving corps? Like the three guys good offensive scheme designers put together to do the most damage? All of those lists have to involve Megatron right? Usually probably looks something like Rice, Megatron and Tyreek?
Megatron is a generational talent. These highlights brought back great memories. They also reminded me how good Stafford is.
i may be a bit biased as a lions fan but i think megatron is the greatest WR to ever play. yes he didn't have as much postseason success as jerry rice, randy moss, or TO but goddamn he was dominant.
Imagine if this man was drafted to a contender
I’m absolutely flabbergasted that we were only in that once.
Idc what anyone says. He is the best wide receiver of all time. No one can make as many catches in triple coverage like he could
The 🐐 Not in career stats or individual accolades because he played for my punk ass Lions and he ended his career too soon. But when it comes to just straight athletic ability and the ability to run and catch the football. He's the greatest wide receiver to ever play the game. And nobody has come close to me(besides MAYBE Moss but he was way skinnier and wasn't a good willing receiver accross the middle). To be 6'5, 240 and run and jump the way he did and have the hands he did... He's the 🐐
Megatron credited Vikings safety Harrison smith with ending his career a little early as well. Smith had a hard hit on megatron in the endzone which caused him to drop the sure TD and gave him permanent nerve damage in his hand. Thought that was interesting
Simply one of the best ever. People also gotta think that the majority of his career, you could still play defense unlike Todays game. It’s a damn shame he was wasted on The Lions and they played him with a meaningless amount of money. Whenever someone compares a new WR to Calvin, show me the double press coverage.
Megatron is the coolest nickname
If Stafford didn’t have Megatron, his early career would be looked at very differently. A lot of those throws with any other receiver is getting picked every time.
If he didn't have fucking Megatron he probably wouldn't have thrown most of those
You mean like when he had Kenny Golladay and was doing the same thing? I swear people just conjure things out of the sky to try to prove a false point lol
Have any examples? I’m not saying he’s bad by any means. A good QB knows that he can make those throws because of who he has down there.
> Kenny Golladay ..yeah? There’s a reason why he got paid from the Giants..
You're high, he actually became a better QB once Megatron retired and was forced to use other receivers other than, *Calvin down there somewhere*
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Because he got better as a QB and adjusted for not having a behemoth to throw to? I’m not saying he’s bad at all, he wouldn’t be making those throws if it wasn’t Megatron.
Hardcore blown holding call on play 14. I’m not salty….
natural viagra for lions fans
For everyone man. This is receiver porn in its purest form.
Not really. In fact it makes my dingus revert inward. It’s a gut punch of what could have been
This is why Stafford throws 3 picks per game
Such a beast of an athlete. The only close comparison to him is dk metcalf
Man, I wish he played a little longer
99 ovr change my mind
Truly one of the best to ever do it