Calvin Johnson won’t get involved with Lions until ‘put that month back’ in his pocket

Since Detroit Lions former star wide receiver Calvin Johnson made the decision to retire from the NFL, the relationship between both sides has been strained.

Much of which has laid with the fact that Johnson had to pay back at least $1 million of the $16 million signing bonus in his contract. This is still something that the former All-Pro wideout has made clear has been a sticking point for him if his standing with the Lions is to improve, according to Dave Birkett of the Detriot Free Press.

“They already know what they got to do. The only way they’re going to get me back is they put that money back in my pocket. Nah, you don’t do that. I don’t care what they say. They can put it back, then they can have me back. That’s the bottom line.”

Johnson has been quite vocal about his fractured relationship with Detriot, which is the organization that he spent his entire illustrious career with. It’s clear that it still bothers him that he had to return part of his signing bonus that has been one of the key issues over the last couple of years.

It should be noted that the Lions also made Hall of Famer Barry Sanders pay back part of his signing bonus after he retired. There was a strain in that relationship between Sanders and the Lions, but both sides have seemingly worked things out as he’s now a paid ambassador.

That said, Johnson has made it quite clear what could mend the fences.