Calvin Johnson shocked the NFL world early this NFL offseason when he announced he would retire at the peak of career where he established himself as one of the most gifted NFL players ever.
The 30-year-old spoke out publicly this week for essentially the first time on what exactly lead to his decision to leave the Detroit Lions and the game of football.
Johnson noted that although he was never officially diagnosed with one, he had a “fair share” of concussions.
In an interview with ESPN’s E:60, he discussed the injury troubles he had to break through to stay on the field during his nine NFL seasons.
The most startling revelation came when Clavin said he and other NFL players suffer a concussion as frequently as “every third play.”
“Concussions happen,” Johnson said. “If not on every play, then they happen like every other, every third play, you know. With all the helmet contact, guys hitting the ground, heads hitting ground. It’s simply when your brain touches your skull from the movement or the inertia, man. It’s simple to get a concussion, you know. I don’t know how many I’ve had over my career, you know, but I’ve definitely had my fair share.”
Johnson also spoke to the regularity of himself and his NFL counterparts taking pain kills like they were nothing towards the beginning of his career, saying “the team doctors and trainers they were giving them out like candy.”
“The team doctor, the team trainers, they work for the team. And I love ’em, you know,” Johnson said. “They’re some good people, you know. They want to see you do good. But at the same time, they work for the team, you know. They’re trying to do whatever they can to get you back on the field and make your team look good.”
