







ALLEN PARK, Mich. – So it turns out Calvin Johnson has a dark side.

Last season, during a blowout win in Denver, the Detroit Lions' all-pro wideout felt he was hit with a questionable shot by an unspecified Broncos linebacker. The normally serene Johnson came over to teammate Nate Burleson and asked to jump into the slot for the next series. Burleson agreed, and Johnson went from Megatron to Megatrain, bulldozing the defender and putting him on his posterior. "If you piss him off," Burleson says, "he'll turn into the Hulk."

Lions receivers coach Shawn Jefferson even does a Hulk impression of No. 81, with grimace and growl, saying Johnson "speaks softly and carries a damn big-ass stick."

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This edginess may surprise fans who see Johnson as polite to a fault. The team's best player reminds many in Detroit of legendary running back Barry Sanders, not only in good ways (humble, low-maintenance, ridiculously talented) but also in concerning ways (can't he get a little more excited?). Football's a blood sport and Johnson, as teammate Dominic Raiola says, "is the nicest guy ever." Burleson tries to "gas up" his buddy by arranging a season-long deal with Johnson, insisting he must complete at least two end-zone celebrations per year. Burleson got Johnson to deliver on two-of-16 regular-season chances last season. Now, Burleson is asking for three this year, but says "I'm not optimistic."

Burleson, like many receivers, plans his end-zone dances just as offensive coordinators script the first 15 plays of a game, and is a little perplexed as to why Johnson isn't more theatrical when he scores.

"I've never been that way," Johnson told Burleson. "I'm a guy who just wants to work."

And if there's one thing you should know about Calvin Johnson's personality, it's that. He's a workaholic. He gets it from his father, Calvin Sr. who spent long days and nights as a train conductor throughout the Southeast. Calvin Sr. has moved up to a higher-ranking position over 30 years of service, but he still won't retire. Nor will Calvin's mom, Arica, who has her doctorate and works in the Atlanta school district.

The Johnsons' only son has begged them to stop working and enjoy some of his millions, but they won't do it. (Calvin Sr. even needed shoulder surgery and refused to use that as an excuse to quit.) This frustrates Calvin, but since his parents have worked for decades at their taxing jobs, he figures he can put in long hours at his. Jefferson has a favorite story from Johnson's pro day at Georgia Tech, when he suggested to Calvin Sr. that great things were about to happen for his son. The elder CJ offered a quiet "yes" and then spun on his kid. "Isn't that right, Calvin?" The eventual 2007 No. 2 overall pick quickly nodded and replied, "Yes, sir."





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