LAKELAND, Fla. -- From one Detroit sports giant to another, Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander wished longtime Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson well on his retirement.

"He left his trademark on the city," Verlander said. "He left his trademark on Detroit."

Verlander said he did not know Johnson well, but has met the star receiver on a few occasions and could only imagine how tough his decision must have been. Johnson, at just 30 years old, announced he was retiring on Tuesday in a statement released by the team. Johnson did not provide a specific reason for his retirement, though his body has taken a beating over the course of his nine seasons in the NFL.

"I'm sure it wasn't an easy decision, but i'm sure he ran through all the possibilities," Verlander said following the Tigers' 6-5 win over the Tampa Bay Rays in Tuesday's Grapefruit League contest.

Asked about the difficulty of such a choice, Verlander clearly sympathized with what Johnson, who earned the nickname "Megatron" must have been wrestling with in the weeks leading up to his announcement.

"Yeah, absolutely. Especially at his age. Obviously, nobody except for him and his immediate family know what went into the decision but, yeah, I mean, it's never an easy decision," Verlander said. "That's your livelihood. Your whole life, and now all of a sudden you're stepping away."