Calvin Johnson played last season through the haze of constant double teams and face-to-face attention from the NFL's most rugged defenders.
We also know he played through pain.
Megatron on Monday confirmed to Chris McCosky of the Detroit News that he suited up for most of last season with three broken fingers. There was speculation during the season that Johnson's fingers were damaged when they were seen wrapped in bandages. Now we know.
Johnson said no surgery is needed, but he's still trying to straighten out the fingers.
Johnson faithfully appeared in all 16 games for the Detroit Lions despite a banged-up left knee and troubled ankles. He also confessed toiling through a concussion and nerve damage. The Lions denied that, and Megatron later tempered those claims.
With injuries that would have left lesser men floored, Johnson didn't skip a beat and led the NFL with 1,964 receiving yards, breaking Jerry Rice's single-season league record. His toughness is not up for debate.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.
