Calvin Johnson Deal Makes City of Detroit Blush

So. The local automakers in Detroit needed bailout money, but when it comes to keeping the prized possession of the Detroit Lions around, it’s obvious that some people in Detroit are still rollin’ fat.

(I almost went with phat, but that was a 10 years ago thing, eh?)

Megatron, aka Calvin Johnson, wide receiver for the Detroit Lions, scored the richest contract in NFL history on Wednesday, signing an 8 year deal worth 132 million dollars. One hundred and thirty-two million dollars. $132,000,000. A nine figure deal to play some football. 60 million guaranteed. Sixty million dollars, guaranteed. $60,000,000 guaranteed. Guaranteed. So. If the rest of his career is injury plagued. 60 mil.

Detroit, I feel ya. You want a winner. But you cannot buy a championship in the NFL. This is the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard…and seen. Yes. Calvin Johnson is a beast. A wonderful receiver. An incredible receiver, even. But who is going to be paid to complement him? How are you gonna pay a line to protect Matthew Stafford–and how are you gonna pay Matthew Stafford when his contract is up? And to further solidify my argument…how you gonna pay folks to come along and supplement Ndamukong Suh? I’m not saying that Johnson is not worth it…I’m saying nobody is worth that.

All of this after Stafford, Suh and Nate Burleson restructured their contracts earlier this week. Do you suppose they were in on the numbers that would slide across the table to Johnson? I’m gonna say no. Not a chance in Hades. I bet they were told that they wanted to keep the core intact, but I bet they weren’t told that they would offer Johnson a king’s ransom to stick around.

Stupid deal, Detroit ownership. And just further proof that the American dollar just ain’t what it used to be.

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