Calvin Johnson

High school

Sandy Creek High School

College

Georgia Institute of Technology

Pro team(s)

Detroit Lions

Hall of Fame

⭐ Pro Football Hall of Fame

Calvin Johnson Jr. was born on September 29, 1985, in Tyrone, Georgia (Fayette County), and attended Sandy Creek High School, where he was a consensus five-star recruit — arguably the most physically gifted wide receiver prospect any college scout had ever evaluated. He attended Georgia Tech and was selected second overall by the Detroit Lions in the 2006 NFL Draft. Nicknamed "Megatron" for his combination of 6-foot-5, 236-pound size with 4.35 speed and 42-inch vertical leap, Johnson redefined what a wide receiver body could look like while producing at the elite level. In the 2012 season he set the single-season NFL record with 1,964 receiving yards — a record that still stands — and he did it playing for a 4-12 Lions team that gave him almost no other weapons. He was a six-time Pro Bowl selection, three-time first-team All-Pro, and led the NFL in receiving yards three times in his career. He retired in 2016 at age 30, still in his prime, citing the cumulative physical toll of playing through injuries and years of catching passes on an undermanned team. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021 in his first year of eligibility. Born and raised in Tyrone, Georgia.