ALLEN PARK -- Every person of leadership is gone from the era in which Calvin Johnson says Detroit asked him to change his story about a concussion, But the Lions have issued a statement anyway, defending the team’s medical staff and treatment of player injuries.

“We respect the privacy of individual players’ medical situations and take great pride in the extensive work done by our medical staff and executive team to ensure we follow appropriate protocols with respect to player health and safety," the Lions said in a written statement. "The well-being of our players will continue to be an organizational priority.”

Johnson told Sports Illustrated he knows he suffered a concussion in a 2012 game against the Vikings. He said so publicly that year, too, but the Lions asked him to change his story. The Lions reportedly say he passed concussion protocol.

“I knew I was concussed because I blacked out,' Johnson told SI. "I wasn’t seeing straight. And they wanted me to change my story.”

Johnson claimed he suffered at least nine concussions in his career, one for each of his seasons with the Lions. He also suffered ankle and knee injuries. He says he was offered prescription painkillers, and smoked marijuana after games to manage the pain.

He played nine seasons before retiring in 2016 at the age of 30. The Lions asked him to repay about $1.6 million in bonus money, which remains a sticking point between Detroit and its greatest receiver in history. The Lions have said mending that relationship is a high priority, but Johnson remains estranged from the franchise.