Calvin Johnson, nicknamed “Megatron,” is an American football wide receiver for the Detroit Lions of the National Football League (NFL). Johnson’s nickname “Megatron” was given to him by former Lions wide receiver Roy Williams. In March 2012, Johnson signed an eight-year, $132 million contract extension with the Lions, one of the largest contracts ever. In December 2012, Johnson broke the single-season record for receiving yards with 1,964. (The previous record of 1,848 yards was set by Jerry Rice in 1995.) At 6′ 5″ with great hands and quickness, Johnson can catch almost anything. He was born on this day in 1985.
Note: Despite near-superhuman skills, Johnson is not to be confused with the sentient robotic lifeform from the planet Cybertron (nor is he the archangel Metatron). NBA forwards LeBron James and Kevin Durant recently tweeted their appreciation of what Johnson is able to do on the field, with LeBron calling Megatron his favorite athlete.
