CANTON, Ohio -- In between running in-school suspension documents from classrooms to the office as a senior in high school, the dream of reaching the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton, Ohio was spawned for Calvin Johnson.
Sandy Creek’s football coach at the time, Rodney Walker, would talk to his document collector, who had completed his high school credits.
“We had this conversation, and he was like, ‘Man, you can be as good as anybody who’s ever played this game,” Johnson said. “I was like, “Shut up, Coach. Whatever.”
Walker didn’t back down.
“He kept on reiterating that,” Johnson said. “‘You see how all these schools want you? ... You can be as good as you want to be. I see it. I’ve seen.’ I was like, ‘Man, whatever.’”
Walker knew what he was talking about.
Johnson, after a nine-year NFL career, is set to be enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame on Sunday.
“It was all of those talks that we had and him speaking confidence into me the whole time,” Johnson said. “I think that was the beginning of the dream. He helped me see it. Once I was able to see it, then you just put the work behind it.”
It all started at Sandy Creek High.
“High school football was tough,” Johnson said. “We had … a three-hour practice in the morning. Two-and-a-half-hour practice behind each other and finished up with a three-hour practice in the evening.”
Johnson would go on to star at Georgia Tech, where he was a two-time All-American.
“I had a great chaplain,” Johnson said. “He’ll be the one unveiling my bust, Derrick Moore. He poured into me as a mentor, spiritually. He kind of helped me with my foundation. I had a foundation from my parents (Calvin Sr. and Arica). He helped to solidify those teachings and principles.”
Johnson said his position coach at Tech, Buddy Geis, who stressed attitude and effort, also was instrumental in his development.
“Catching that ball over the outside of your shoulder,” Johnson said. “Being able to track the ball. Those are the things that he kind of imparted in me that never left and never went away. Those are the things I carried on into the league.”
Johnson will join Tech’s two other members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, Joe Guyon and Billy Shaw. Guyon, who played for Tech from 1917-18 for John Heisman, played in the NFL’s founding season in 1920 and played eight seasons, leading the New York Giants to the league championship in 1927.
Shaw, a two-way player for Bobby Dodd from 1958-60, played nine seasons for the Buffalo Bills at guard. He was a member of the all-time All-AFL team and was the first inductee who played his entire career in that league.
After his stellar career at Tech, Johnson turned heads at the NFL combine after running the 40-yard dash in 4.35 seconds at 6-foot-5 and 237 pounds.
He was the second overall pick in the draft by the Detroit Lions.
Over nine spectacular seasons, he led the NFL in receiving yards per game (86.1), 100-yard games (46), 200-yard games (five), and games with multiple receiving touchdowns (17) during that time period.
He was dubbed “MegaTron” for his transformational play.
Johnson, who retired early at the age of 30, holds league records for single-season receiving yards (1,964 in 2012) and consecutive 100-yard receiving games (eight), which has since been tied by Minnesota’s Adam Thielen.
Johnson was a Pro Bowl player six times, a first-team All-Pro three times and a second-team All-Pro once.
He doesn’t regret retiring early.
“I was going to retire after my eighth season,” Johnson said. “I didn’t want to be out there. That last season, dude, a lot of people don’t realize it. I’ve never been in a point where I didn’t want to play.
“I’d even tell my guys, I’d be out there before games, dude I do not want to play. There was one game my last season, we were down to play the Rams, at the Rams, I believe. I had like one catch because it was a direct reflection of my attitude going into that game, I feel like.”
After the next season, Johnson thought it was in his best interest to retire.
“I did not want to be there,” Johnson said. “That’s not a way that you want to be playing in the NFL. That’s how you get hurt even more.”
His tenure ended a little messily after the Lions asked him to return a portion of his signing bonus and would not relinquish his rights.
“For me, I’m five years out now,” Johnson said. “I’m not wasting any time waiting on them.”
Johnson looks forward to receiving his gold jacket and meeting all of the other Hall of Famers.
“That’s going to be legendary for me,” Johnson said. “A lot of the people I’ve grown up watching, I’ll finally be able to meet. So, I’m just going to be like a little kid in the candy store.”
He plans to be sure to meet 2020 inductee Harold Carmichael, who at 6-foot-8 was a pioneering big wide receiver.
“That’s so cool,” Johnson said. “Big guys are not expected to do the things that a under 6-foot guy can do. We went out there to show, that’s not right. That’s not true. You can do anything if you put your mind to it. It’s a mind-set that I’m sure he carries as well.”
Johnson wants to meet another Hall of Famer.
“Deion (Sanders) was the crème de la crème back in the day,” Johnson said. “I would have loved to, of course, had gone against him in his prime just to see what that was like. But obviously we can’t do that, but that would have been awesome to experience that.”
Johnson is set to speak fifth Sunday and doesn’t plan to mention the Lions.
“I’ve been rehearsing,” Johnson said. “I’m ready. I’ve been rehearsing and trying to keep it down to the eight-minute mark, that’s the hard part. I’m going to have to cut some stuff off.”
Johnson’s speech will touch on the theme of perseverance.
“Just the story of perseverance and always being there,” Johnson said. “(Have a) great attitude and effort in everything that you do. Just take those two things, and it will help them grow in their life. It will help them out in a lot of situations if they can control those two things.”
Johnson is all set to take his place with the rest of the football legends.
“For me, it’s still surreal,” Johnson said.
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