Player Profile: Calvin Johnson

I'm going to take the opportunity to send some serious love to one of my favourite players. I've mentioned him before, but I can't get enough: Calvin Johnson.

Last night I watched Detroit Lions v Dallas Cowboys. In that game I watched my man catch for 329 yards - the 2nd of all time, a mere 7 yards behind the all-time single-game leader. In 2012 Johnson set the season-high receiving record with 1,964 yards, surpassing Jerry Rice. And that with broken fingers. His wikipedia entry puts him at 6ft 5, 107kg. He can run 40-yards in 4.35 and 100m in 10.23 seconds. His vertical leap in 2007 was 42.5 inches. Given the way he 'dunks' a ball over the cross bar, which is 10ft tall, I'd imagine he could easily reach 11+feet.

And you can have all that for a mere 8-year $132m contract.

A segued comparison, if you will. Lance Franklin is the same height, 5kgs lighter and $122m poorer. I'd love to know what Franklin's 40-yard and 100m times are, not to mention his vertical, unfortunately the AFL does not appear to record such interesting, comparative stats.

Last week we watched Megatron catch the ball between three defenders in the end-zone. This week he only had a 2-yard touchdown catch, but his highlight reel is extensive.

NFL Films has done me a solid and put together his catches in one 2:35 package. I strongly recommend watching it.  His fourth quarter catches are just extraordinary. Check out the one at the 1:30 mark - chest mark running with the flight of the ball between two defenders. And then he tacks on some more yards. And then the catch with about 40 seconds to go, again with the flight of the ball, again bumps off a defender. That catch put Detroit on the 1-yard line, 6 points down with seconds to go in the game. QB Stafford.. well, you watch how it ended.


In the game Johnson dropped two passes that both went to the Cowboys for turnovers. He just picked himself up, chastised himself quietly and got on with the game. No theatrics. His touchdown pass - just gently passed the ball back to the referee. I'm sorry to say that Dez Bryant, often compared to Johnson, was not so demure. Towards the end of the game he was remonstrating with team-mates because he didn't have the ball thrown to him enough. Sorry diva, you might be physically comparable to Megatron, but between the ears its a different story.

Calvin Johnson.