DETROIT, MI - OCTOBER 25: Calvin Johnson #81 of the Detroit Lions tries to avoid the tackle by Andrew Sendejo #34 of the Minnesota Vikings in the first half during an NFL game at Ford Field on October 25, 2015 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images)
Former Detroit Lions star wide receiver Calvin Johnson said he considered walking away from the NFL long before he called it quits in March, and that he has no plans to return.
Megatron spoke publicly about his retirement for the first time at his Calvin Johnson Jr. Foundation Catching Dreams Football Camp in Michigan on Saturday, revealing persistent finger, knee and ankle injuries made him first consider walking away after the 2014 season.
"My finger's jacked," Johnson said via the Detroit Free Press. "I mean, I'm beat up. After you play that long you're going to be beat up, so it's just a time where you are content with what you did."
Ultimately, however, Johnson decided he had one more year in him before walking away for good.
"I put a lot into the game and it's taken a lot out of me and that's where I'm at right now," Johnson continued. "I'm not going to get into the specifics of the things that I feel it's taken away, but it definitely feels good, I guess I can say for myself, to spend more time around the family, my son, I just got married. So things are going good right now."
Detroit's all-time leading recevier also clarified that his reasons for retiring from the NFL had nothing to do with the Lions' record, or lack of postseason success.
"I wouldn't just quit because we were losing," he said. "It was just body. I was just tired of it, fed up. Just had enough."
The 30-year-old, who said he hopes to return to school and finish out his business management degree, maintains he has no regrets about calling it a career. Nor does he have any plans to return.
"I'm not coming back," Johnson said. "You ain't got to worry about that."
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