Megatron will stay retired.
Despite the legions of us hoping the former Lions All Pro and potential Hall of Famer would walk back on his decision to walk away from football and gift us with a few more acrobatic touchdown catches, Calvin Johnson put that possibility to rest on Saturday.
"No. I'm not coming back," he said, laughing, via the Detroit Free Press. "You ain't gotta worry about that."
He added: "My decision, I made my own decision. I'm good with it."
Johnson, speaking about his retirement for the first time since the official announcement, seemed relaxed and in good spirits during his youth football camp at L'Anse Creuse High School in Eastern Michigan, just off Lake St. Clair. He noted the toll the game took on his body over the years and said that he was happy with what he'd accomplished.
At 30, Johnson likely still had more to give, but no one can blame a player like Johnson for walking away toward the end of his prime. Johnson exited football with 11,619 yards and 83 touchdowns. He gave the Lions the franchise face it so desperately needed after the departure of Barry Sanders, another player who left with prime years still in the tank.
Unfortunately, there will not be a late-period Randy Moss-like renaissance, no matter how fun it would be to watch Johnson catch some bombs in New England and push for a Super Bowl title.
