Matthew Stafford’s return to Detroit as a member of the Los Angeles Rams was a memorable one for the Lions, who both hosted and won their first playoff game since 1991. Many Detroit legends were in attendance including Calvin Johnson, who spent the majority of his career playing with Stafford.
Before the game, Stafford and Johnson embraced as Lions fans rained boos down on the quarterback. The former wide receiver, who was obviously rooting for the Lions in the game, asked for one simple request from his former teammate.
“I need one or two from you, and I’m not talking about touchdowns,” Johnson said, as revealed on NFL Mic’d Up.
Calvin Johnson is an absolute legend pic.twitter.com/Pw24n4zp7B
— Tyler Sawa (@tyler_sawa) January 17, 2024
Presumably, Johnson was asking Stafford to throw a few interceptions, even lose a fumble or two, to help the Lions chances during the game. Stafford didn’t commit a turnover in the game, but Detroit was able to come away with the victory anyway.
Johnson played with Stafford from 2009 to ’15, and in that span he led the league in receiving yards twice and in receptions once. But for one game, the two were enemies.
