Skip to content

Caldwell: Lions will fix relationship with Calvin Johnson

Leon Halip / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Jim Caldwell seems to have every intention of repairing things between his Detroit Lions and one of the best players in franchise history.

Addressing Calvin Johnson's recent comments, which hinted at a strained relationship on the heels of his retirement last year, the veteran head coach likened the team dynamic to that of a family - and its attendant conflicts.

Caldwell anticipates that, at some point, the matter will be settled through communication.

"Playing in the National Football League for a team, it's like a family. Families sometimes have disagreements," Caldwell said, according to Michael Rothstein of ESPN. "They look at things a little differently. I have grown children. Sometimes we look at things a little differently. We hash them out, talk them out. There's dialogue, but it doesn't mean I don't love them. But we get the differences worked out.

"I think the same thing will happen in this situation. Maybe there's a disagreement, a little different viewpoint, but the most important thing, I think, is perhaps this whole thing will bring about a little bit more dialogue."

Neither Johnson nor the Lions have disclosed the points of contention between the two sides, and Caldwell didn't want to offer a time frame for when the issue might be resolved.

Johnson's dissatisfaction with the organization became apparent over the weekend when he was asked about the possibility of Detroit retiring his jersey.

"I don't even like to talk Lions too much just because the way our relationship ended," Johnson responded, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press. "If they see me around here, we'll see. But hey, I don't know. I just didn't feel like I was treated the way I should have been treated on the way out. That’s all. I mean, it's all good. I'm not tripping. I don't feel any kind of way, just hey, that's what they did. Hey, it is what is."

Johnson, selected No. 2 overall in the 2007 draft, was one of the league's most dominant receivers over the course of his nine seasons in Detroit.

The six-time Pro Bowler's incredible level of production - 731 catches, 11,619 yards, and 83 touchdowns - saw him walk away with a sizable lead atop each of the franchise's all-time receiving categories.

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox