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Former Cowboys receiver Michael Irvin says the losing must have taken a toll on Calvin Johnson.

(AP File Photo)

SAN FRANCISCO -- Many Detroit Lions supporters were shocked when Barry Sanders walked away at 30 years old. Many were shocked when they heard it might happen again with Calvin Johnson.

Count Michael Irvin among them.

"It blows my mind that two of the greatest to have ever played our game, played in Detroit, and walked away when they still had stuff in them," the former Dallas Cowboys receiver said Thursday during Super Bowl 50 festivities in San Francisco.

Johnson reportedly has told friends and the Lions that he intends to retire after nine seasons in Detroit. And while his battered body is considered to be among the foremost factors -- he's dealt with ankle and knee issues each of the past three seasons -- the losing has a way of making everything worse.

Irvin blasted Detroit for possibly driving two of the game's greatest talents into early retirement.

"That must be such a tough thing to wake up every day and go to work in Detroit, look at what's around you, and then doing what they're doing and not winning football games. It must just be a tough thing," said Irvin, who now works as an NFL analyst. "I would think it only happened in Cleveland, but I see it's happening in Detroit."

Since drafting Johnson second overall in 2007, the Lions have gone just 54-90. They had the NFL's only 0-16 season in his second year as a pro, and averaged just three wins over his first three seasons.

They've made the playoffs just twice with Johnson, and never advanced.

Detroit went 1-7 to open last season, and finished 7-9, the seventh losing season of Johnson's nine-year career.

The Lions were much more successful during Sanders' 10 years with the club, posting five winning seasons and making the playoffs five times. They even won a playoff game, the only time they've done that since 1957.

But they never advanced again in Sanders' final seven seasons, and fed up, he opted to walk away on the eve of training camp in 1999. Detroit finished 78-82 overall during the Sanders era.

Irvin says he hopes Johnson takes more time before determining whether he's prepared to walk away too.

"I wish Calvin would take a little time," he said. "We haven't even played the Super Bowl yet. And what happens is at the end of the season, you've had a long season, you've heard everyone write and talk about how you're not the same guy. Your body is hurting, and these guys are talking about taking some of your money away and reducing your salary. You make an emotional decision (then).

"I wish he would just say, 'Hey, you know what? I'm going to get away from the game for a month and then come back and tell you guys what I'm going to do, just to let it all subside a little bit. I would hate for the league to lose a talent and a player of his caliber at such an early age."

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