Calvin Johnson Opens up About Early NFL Retirement on Kevin Hart's 'Cold As Balls'

Calvin Johnson surprised everyone when he announced retiring from the NFL in 2015. He has explained his reasoning for calling it a career over the years but got more in-depth into his decision with Kevin Hart on the show Cold As Balls on the Laugh Out Loud Network. When speaking with Hart, Johnson, who spent his entire career with the Detroit Lions, said he was going to retire two years earlier.

"It's about the body, it's about where the team was," Johnson said. "You know, and my body was performing or putting out like I wanted it to. And come Sundays, you're out there pregame, and you're just like, 'Shoot, I don't even feel like playing today.' That's how it was like my last year. But my body, it changes your mindset. That pain, it changes your mindset."  

Johnson, who was a wide receiver, was drafted No. 2 overall by the Lions in 2007. In his career, Johnson was selected to the Pro Bowl six times, the All-Pro Team four times and led the NFL in receiving yards in 2011 and 2012. In nine seasons, Johnson caught 731 passes for 11,619 yards and 83 touchdowns. In February, Johnson was selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2021. 

"Lions fans, the city of Detroit, when we were 0-16, you never stopped showing up," Johnson said during his Hall of Fame speech in August, per Pride of Detroit. "You were disappointed but you never stopped showing up. Every week, you showed up, and this motivated me to do the same thing for you. You loved me and my family unconditionally over these 15 years. I want you to know Michigan is our home, Detroit is our city, and Lions fans are our pride."  

Along with having a standout NFL career, Johnson was one of the top wide receivers in the country while playing for Georgia Tech. In 2006, Johnson was named ACC Player of the Year and won the Biletnikoff Award, which is given to the nation's top receiver. In that season, Johnson caught 76 passes for 1,202 yards and 15 touchdowns. 

New episodes of Cold As Balls can be found every Tuesday on the Laugh of Loud YouTube page. The show can also be found on the Cold As Balls Facebook Page and Hart's Facebook Page.