May 4, 2023 • 26 mins
EP #25: Peanut and Roman are joined this week by Hall of Fame wide receiver, Calvin Johnson. Calvin starts by revealing his “Welcome To The NFL” moment, and his first impressions of Detroit when he first arrived after he was drafted 2nd overall in 2007 (02:54). Peanut and Calvin then go on to reminisce about all the great battles they had against one another for so many years as NFC North divisional foes (03:42). They also give us the inside story of the controversial no touchdown call that has been dubbed “Calvin Johnson rule” (06:48). With such a storied career and so many highlights, the guys ask Calvin when he knew he could dominate the league (11:27), and he reveals his favorite catch of his nine-year career (12:59). Finally, Calvin enlightens the guys on the work he’s doing now in the medicinal cannabis field and how he’s trying to raise awareness to help current and former players (14:28).
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Welcome to the NFL Player Second Acts Podcast. I'll Peanut
Tillman and this is my uncle Roman Harper.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
I was your nephew earlier. You can give my uncle Roman.
You know you go up and down whatever.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
You look older than me.
Speaker 4 (00:22):
All right, Well, look, as always, I want you guys
to give us a like a.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Five star rating review.
Speaker 4 (00:29):
After that, make sure you hit follow, give us a subscription,
and anywhere you listen to your podcast at with his
iHeart or Apple podcasts.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Hey, we had a great interview with Calvin Johnson. Give
it a listen.
Speaker 4 (00:45):
I'm excited about this guest that we have today, and
it's really because we know this player very very well.
We both played against him. You played against him all
the time. You guys had legendary battles. And he is
a great human being doing some really great things. Brother,
and just an immaculate person as well, very humble and
just really great to have me.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Look, he's I'm gonna read some of his resume highlights
because he's got so many.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
It's a lot. It's a lot. Well, first off, they
call him Megatron Mega.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
He's the second overall pick in the two thousand and
seven draft. He played nine years for the Detroit Lions
from the d four time All Pro holds the NFL
record for the most receiving yards in a single season
nineteen hundred yards or hundred and sixty four. He got
inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in twenty twenty one.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
First ballot. First ballot. That means something, that means a lot.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
So please welcome a good friend of mine and our guests.
Calvin Johnson appreciated fellas, what's good man going?
Speaker 3 (01:48):
Good man? It's good to see y'all. Buddy, man, it's
been a long time.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
Yeah, it's it has been like we were, you know,
we were across the way, across the room, and I
was like, oh, man, is that isn't what I think?
And I think I was talking to CJ.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
I was like, yo, man, we have some legendary battles.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
Yo. Like that.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
We was like, I leave Fraser like we had some
heavyweight battles.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
It was great. We want I'm going to I want
to ask.
Speaker 4 (02:13):
Him about that, but first of all, I want to
know before before we addressed the elephant in the room,
because I got a real big question for you too
about your career. But number one, what was your first like,
welcome to the NFL. Moment, you get drafted to Detroit.
You come from Georgia Tech. Not everybody saw you playing
ball out in college, but we saw you at the combine.
We talked about that earlier. I asked him, did he
(02:34):
For those that don't know, I said, Calvin, did you
run at the combine? We were talking about it.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
He's like, oh, yeah, I ran. That's that what I forgot.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
You said.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
Two, three, five fast. Guys always run fast.
Speaker 4 (02:50):
So what was your first like, welcome to the NFL
moment going to Detroit?
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Man? Who so many but welcome to the NFL. Shoot,
I don't land it in Detroit, man. We went to
the practice facility and I think we went downtown, maybe
to the stadium. But on my way from the airport,
I want to go right back home. I'm like, can
y'all put me on the next thing back to Atlanta broke.
All I saw was dilapidated buildings, burnt down buildings. It
(03:17):
was an eyesore Detroit. I mean from where Detroit is
now to where it was fifteen years ago, night and day.
Speaker 4 (03:22):
And that's Detsemack in the middle of the crisis too.
And the housing crisis in seven. Yeah, probably getting drafted No.
Seven yep. So yeah, you're debt smack in the middle
of it. Oh yeah, everything's going.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
To Detroit got thousands of thousands of homes and you
can only imagine how many were abandon like I say,
burnt down. And it was just it was a very
depressing scene, to say the least.
Speaker 4 (03:43):
Calvin, could you please indulge in this give us an
insight on what all you knew when you had to
face against Charles p Nutt Tillman, because you guys faced
each other twice a year.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Legendary battles. This he had the formula against you.
Speaker 4 (03:56):
Actually, he was like the one guy around the league
that we say, hey, we can trying to emulate anything
like Pa was doing. At least frustrate him, you know,
holding him to sixty yards. That's a great day, Calvin Johnson,
So what did you know or do prepare mentally physically
going into these games before?
Speaker 3 (04:12):
Before the first time I played Peanut, all I heard
was from Roy Williams like, you got the dog over there.
I'm just like, all right, you know, I see when
I get out there, you know. But the first game
I played, you was playing may be a little bit
of Roy. But then later in the game, I started
seeing more of you, and I was I was mad
at Peanut for a minute, you know, at least like
until the next year, until I talked to you again,
(04:33):
because he tackled me and he was almost like a
horse call tackle on the sideline, like oh yeah, but
I was so zone yeah yeah, sideline, And I was like,
I was just mad at him. He didn't probably ain't, no,
I was just steaming. I was just I did not like.
I was like, he's he's not a good guy.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
That's Colvin. Yeah, he's not a good not a good guy.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
You know.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
But every but ever since then, man, I had to
play this dude twice a year. It's to bring your
lunch peal kind of game. There's not a playoff, and
it was there's I don't know if there's another player
like this where I had to play against in every
play he gonna bring it. Like usually by the end
of the game, I'm leaning on folks, I'm like, I
like to grab him, try to move him around a
little bit. So I'm here and I'm gonna be here
(05:22):
all game. Peanut was bringing that same energy, so I'm like, Okay,
all right, this is how it's gonna be. I'm like,
dang boy, I can't wait for this boy to get traded.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
Well.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
No, it was beautiful, man, because he made plays on me.
You know, I was able to make plays, but it
was never easy. He made me work for it, and
that's why I appreciated the most. That's why while I
like playing Chicago so much, because I knew I was
gonna get that legitimate battle. It's gonna be super authentic.
It's gonna be tough as hell. But at the end
of the game, you know, whether we win or we lose,
I know I was gonna be satisfied because I know
I was gonna get my all and I know I
(05:52):
was gonna get it off from him.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
Yeah, I think I can honestly say that when people
asked me about who was one of the toughest receivers,
you are in that conversation and the thing that I
appreciated the most about you.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Because everyone's like, oh, who's who's the biggest trash targle?
Who talked it? I was like, it wasn't Calvin. He
didn't I never heard. He just didn't say nothing. He
was quiet, you know, why.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
Bro, you see me out there? I'm running nine all games.
Time to be talking to y'all right, to be there
to end the game?
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Yeah, so I would.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
I would literally sounds like he don't. He's a silent professional.
He doesn't say nothing. He just you know, you make
a good play. He makes a good play. He gets up,
gives a ball, official goes back in the hudel, and
he just does it again.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
Touchdown. He all right, So you know, what is your
best Calvin Johnson moment? Best Calvin Johnson moment? I kind
of liked. So the story of you ran like a reverse.
I don't even yet so it was I probably say.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
That was that was your rookieyear, right, was that your
rookiear So I switched over to right corner and Zach
Bowman was the left corner, and you were destroying Zach
the entire game. So the second half came Lovey Smith
was like, hey, and that was that was the same year.
(07:24):
They were like, hey, we think Zach's are our our
he's our our shutdown corner.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
We're moving you over to the right and.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
I was like, okay, we gonna see and then you
exposed him that game come in havetime lovey Smith.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
I was like, yeah, we uh.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Yeah, we probably we probably messed up. Let's list say, Peanut,
you you go back to handling. Uh, you just follow Calvin.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
Now, we we're gonna let you take care of that,
all right. Cool.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
So I go back and I do that, and then
it was a reverse and I remember trying to take
like the proper angle to try to get you. You know,
he full three five before too, So I'm running running,
And I never thought of myself as like a hard
hitting guy, but I remember on that play when I
hit him, I was like, yo, I brought his son.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
I gave him business. Let's yo, That's.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
Why I did. I didn't want to see him turned
up like that. That's another turn up.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
I was excited because when I don't hit people that hard, bro.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
So when I actually got one, I was like, yo,
I felt like ray Lewis, I felt like Land's Briggs.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
I felt like t Like. I felt good. So I
was like my hell, yeah, welcome to the league, sucker.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
I was yo, defense was me?
Speaker 2 (08:44):
I agree?
Speaker 3 (08:45):
You mentioned Briggs and I had to crack on him
one time that game. Yeah, come down in the short
motion was peaking in I hope you don't see me,
and he looked me up. He's like, and he gave
me a nod. I'm like, I had to go and
hit him, but he gave me a concussion.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
A concussion, yeah, man, we had I will say this
about Detroit though. Man, when you when you play the
team into the division, you know them well, you play
them twice a year. But those are some I don't
care if we were ten and OZ. When you guys
are on ten or whatever the record was, those are
always the toughest games.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
You know.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
You know, when we were in Carolina, we played Atlanta.
We should have smashed Atlanta, and they came up and
beat the crap out of us.
Speaker 2 (09:27):
And that was here. We went to the super Bowl.
We had a great team.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
It's just for whatever, for whatever reason, those teams that
are in your division, they know every little thing and
niche about you. And the way you get past that
is the team who makes the fewest mistakes or executes
the best. That's the team that's actually.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Gonna win that.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
All right, It's one quick story here, I gotta get in.
And this is because it was literally the first time
anying by the NFL had ever done this and so
we're in New Orleans, Detroit is coming in.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
It was early in Calvin's career.
Speaker 4 (10:01):
And literally we put two guys on Calvin right on
the goal line just to tell Matthew Stafford, like, you're
not going to throw it here. And it was the
first time anybody ever done this. So when we line
up two guys right in front of you in the
red zone, number one, what goes through your mind? And
then when you guys go through the sidelines, like why
did this discussion go on? Because I know what we
were thinking or what we were trying to do, which
(10:23):
we were just gonna say, we don't care if we
play with nine guys everybody else but like you can't
do it.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
So what happened on you guys side?
Speaker 3 (10:30):
When I first saw that, when I lined up and
I saw I'm like, okay, this is But my initial
thought was like, okay, they're like y'all were like on
my on my shoulders. I'm like, I could split these
guys and still go up and get it. That's what
I'm thinking. Yeah, But I know Matthew when he looked
out there, I know he was like I knew that.
That's the first thing he said but I'm thinking my mind.
I'm sitting here like every time, I'm like, dude, just
throw the ball up, Just throw it up, give me
a chance, you know. But yeah, Matthew, when he saw that,
(10:51):
he was like, oh yeah, you didn't have a chance.
He told me that. He was like, yeah, when I
saw that, I was like, you weren't getting the ball.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
I'm curious to know like we would. We would watch.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
You day in and day out, week in and week out,
year in and year out, dominate players all the time.
I think y'all played Cincinnati and you caught it over
three dudes. You played Dallas, you caught it over like
two or three dudes, And I'm just like, man, this
dude at here, what is it like this? Y'all got
(11:22):
like three DB's on, you got a free strong and
a corner.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
And he's still cancl it over.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
Y'all, At what point did you realize you could dominate
this game?
Speaker 3 (11:34):
Probably like after my second year, now, my rookie year,
I had a couple of injuries. My second year, I
came out strong, had a really good season, like thirteen
hundred twelve thirteen hundred yards, and there's that point where
you know, we're really you know, Sean Jefferson, my coach,
you know, we looked at each other at in the season.
He was like, man, once you go into all season,
take a good look at yourself in the mirror, because
what you did this year, it's got to be better
(11:56):
next year. I'm like, shoot, how I never hit thirteen before?
But that's how he all just kept pushing. Man, just
take a look in the mirror. Let's look at our weaknesses. Yeah,
we know what our strengths are, but we're gonna work
on those end weaknesses. Day by day. Pick a pick
an attribute, we're gonna work on it, and then by
the end of the season, you know, by the end
of training camp or what have you. If you take
that approach, working on that one attribute that you need
assistance in, obviously not neglecting everything else, but really's putting
(12:18):
a special focus on that. You know, you're gonna see
that attributes tend to tend to level up with the
rest of the things that you're good with. So just
taking those attributes one thing day by day, addam adam
to the repertoire, or just building upon your toolkit and uh,
you know I'm able to You're able to you know,
just you know, do the things that we're doing doing
on the field. Yeah, be successful.
Speaker 1 (12:38):
Yeah, so did you I know, what's my favorite pick?
I know, I gotta I got a favorite play that like,
I think that like kind of stood out for me.
Nineteen hundred yards in one season, thirteen twelve hundred one season,
thirteen hundred another season. Out of out of the nine years,
with thousands of catches that you've had, what's been like
(13:01):
your number one catch? What's been your favorite catch? Slash touchdown?
Speaker 3 (13:05):
Now you wouldn't even touch down. It's an overtime play.
We're down in Temple. Drew Stanton was our quarterback. Matthew
went down. He was hurt, and it was the It's
probably one of the coldest toe girl toe taps I've
had because it wasn't it wasn't a typical toe tap.
Ran to come back, nice smooth route, had to do running.
I come back, but I'm on the sideline already and
(13:25):
Drews has the ball. The ball is up high and
I can't jump. Unfortunately, it's probably like just like seven
eight feet in the air, and I had a I
had literally had my toe. My heels were all the
way off the sideline. Literally, if this is the sideline,
he was over the side. I was on the toes,
on my toes, just keeping my feet in bounce and
came down with a catch and overtime to help Jason
Hanson go in to kick the game within the field goal.
(13:47):
Nobody really knows about that one because you don't get seen.
But its most proud because the route was crispy and
just the fundamentals and then then just the toe drag
like it wasn't even tow dragt swag like I hadn't
seen nobody catch a ball like that. Both just your
toes that are on the field and it was like
this lean back. So it was even I made a
bunch of crazy catches, but you know, just the moment
(14:09):
in the game where that was, you know, you know
how impactful it was. Obviously there's a lot of crazy
I made catches on top of folks, you know. I mean,
I take the most pride in that, you know, seeing
Randy Moss do it back in the day. I just
want to take those attributes from Randy t o just
all those guys I watched growing up just do a
little better.
Speaker 5 (14:26):
We're going to take a short break and we'll be
back in a minute.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
Now, you talk about all your attributes and all those
other things, and what attributes would you say attributed to
what you're doing now, which is what got you into
the medical cannabis industry.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
Huh. Really, just my hardhead in this really just going
hard all the time. That's why in this cannabis in
That's why I needed all these bumps and bruises, you know,
but from you know all the time, you know, we
have those bumps and bruises, and just I used cannabis
while I played, and you know it was it only
really started using it when I got to the lead.
(15:15):
I used a little bit in college, but when I
got to the league, it really was helping me when
I get to sleep, you know, limit the pain, Like
after practice going home, you know, you know, when I
get home, my light one up just because like I
get home and I'm aching. I always had chronic swelling
in my knees and ankles, and there wasn't really anything
to you know, really help that.
Speaker 1 (15:32):
You just had these ice But did you but did
you know the marijuana was helping age you or was
it just like no, I just want to get high.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
It helped me with my quality of life. God it
as far as you know, being able to sleep and
not have no problem at night, you know, just numbing
the pain. Yeah, you know, But it really wasn't until
I was able to use it in a different application,
you know, from different from smoking and actually using it
in a topical form, when I was really like light bulb,
you know. Okay, let's get down to the science of this,
because there's something here.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
Right, So you got out what was your last year?
Speaker 3 (15:59):
Fifteen?
Speaker 2 (16:00):
So your last year was fifteen?
Speaker 1 (16:01):
How long would you say it took you to have
a understanding and start your own practice and go out
and speak the way you speak about it because you're
passionate about it.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
I love that about you. But like, what how long did.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
Would you say it took you to be or to
become warre you are right now rather than just all right,
I'm just like one up just for quality of life.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
When I got done playing that, I mean I had
I did a couple of different things, just trying to figure
out where I wanted to be at with timing. Timing
is everything. Cannabis injury came along in Michigan. I was
passionate about it, and it's mainly yeah, I used to
while I was playing, But when I was on the
Dancing with the Stars show, that's when I really that's
when the light bulb went off because I wanted to
Dance with the Stars show and.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
They with you long hours too, bro, Really don't let
them trick long hours, trick long out a.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
Hell of an experience. If you like the movie, you
like to dance, like to be active, you know, it's experience.
To the finals. I was in third place, okay, but
you're based the finals, you get your bonus, so it
was good. But I was in the show about three
weeks and you know, you're dancing, bro, it's like footwork,
It's just like and my ankles and my knees started
to swoll up again on me. So we got to
(17:12):
the point where I was just like, you know, I
can't move out here like I need to. It's like
when I got done planning, I can't move. I can't
have the explosion. And I would look at my ankles
like balloons. And my buddy. I told my buddy when
to Georgia Tech with him. He's in the film industry
out there in Cali. I was like, man, I don't
have to quit the show because I like, I just
hang out with him whenever I went out there and
I was like, bro, I can't move, my ankles are swollen,
(17:33):
my knees are swollen. Like I can't do all that.
I can't do all the moves and whatnot. And he
break in. He brought me a topical I remember, the
green glass jar with a gold cap. Used it. A
couple of days later, my swelling started to go down,
and it stayed down, and I kept on using I'm like, okay,
there's something here. There's something here. And that's where I mean.
I was already passionate about Cannon because I knew it
helped me a little bit, but to really know that
there's something more to it, that's when I was like, Okay,
(17:54):
let's get to the science.
Speaker 4 (17:55):
Of it all right, now, what is the long term
plan for your specifically? I know you're talking about expanding
into Boston and some other areas. I know you've been
down in Alabama doing work with some of the hospitals
and different people down there. Maybe share with some of
the people you know. I'm good friends of Rob Sims and.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
His wife of course, Natalie. Oh yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4 (18:15):
Yeah, we went to school with his wife, Natalie and
stuff like that. So I've got to know the other
side of it. And I know some of your business partners,
and I know what you guys are thinking, but I
want you to share with some of our listeners some
of the long term plans of what Calvin Johnson in
this group is doing.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
Yeah, and we call it, I mean, our company is
called Primitive. Called primitive because people have been using cannabis
for thousands of a year, so by definition it is primitive.
But we really truly believe in the healing powers of
the plant. We're here, we're advocates for the industry. We're
trying to destigmatize it, but at the same time come
up with new innovative products. And that's what that's what
I'm excited about right now, because we're getting to that
point where we're being able to create these new innovative products.
(18:51):
And we talk about innovation in cannabis, you know, we're
talking about bringing like, you know, pharmaceutical grade equipment and
using it with cannabis, you know, And that's what we're
doing right now. And with that, we're able to create
the cannabis particles and such a small size using nanotechnology
that it's more efficient. You know, talent all and all
those things. It's nanotechnology. It's small particle size that's able
(19:11):
to bypass through your intestinal system and get into the bloodstream,
therefore making it more effective. So just creating products of
that sort, and we're just scratching the surface. You know.
Our first two products that we came out with is
a ORRS, which is an oral rehydration solution and the
topical cream. The reason why we came out with those
because we used them religiously when we played got to
stay hydrated. It's key, and you get the topicals that
(19:33):
we used. It was just cooling and heating. There was
really no function to it. But now we're able to
add cannabinoids to it. We're able to ad cannabinoids to it, CBD, CBG, CBC,
CBD or CBG. Adding these cannabinoids to them increases the
anti inflammation of properties that you're putting into your body.
So and those different cannabinoids have proven to be anti inflammatory.
(19:58):
So it's inciting man just being able to bring these
products to market that will be effective for the masses.
Speaker 4 (20:04):
I know we got to go here and I want
to ask you the same question we always trying to
ask everybody before we let you off the hot seat.
I know you got to catch a flight, but who
is in your mount Rushmore of influence? Whether it's coaches,
paying family. It's only four, but I would like to
know your mount More Rushmore.
Speaker 3 (20:23):
Yeah, Rushmore of influence. I don't want to say parents.
That's two. It's giving one want entity, we let you
have one. So I got my parents. Derek Moore, he
was my chaplain at Georgia Tech. You know, it really
spoke to me spiritually, really got me in a place
where I was able to be my own believer, you know,
(20:45):
and not that I wasn't going into college, but to
you know, do it yourself. You know, to understand, have
an understanding for yourself is different than just when you're
coming up and you know, getting it from your family
and the church. So my parents, Derek Moore, Jefferson, my
receiver coach. You know, he was a great player, but
he's a great man. You know, not only did he
(21:06):
teach us how to be great players, but his biggest,
bigger focus was on being a better man. All the
skills he taught me, you know, it was you know, shoot.
You know, all the different sayings, you know, keep stacking
or you know, stay ready so you don't have to
get ready. All those things ring true and there's legitimate
meaning behind all those things. And lastly, this last one's tough.
(21:32):
I'm gonna say my big sister, and Big says, it
has been such an influence in my life. Positive influence.
You know, she's the doctor. When I was growing up,
she was my tutor, you know, for her. If it
wasn't for her, you know, I might have went and
played Major League baseball out of high school, you know,
and not even went to college and played. So I
was able to get the college experience because she was
tutoring me at Clark Atlanta University. I got to be
(21:52):
around at AUC and just see what it's like to
be in college. I was like, oh, I can't forego this.
So half my big sister. I have a tremendous amount
of love for her. You know, she helps me with
my foundation. So's she's all and everything to us too.
So those are those are my top four.
Speaker 2 (22:06):
Well, Calvin, thank you, brother, I know you gotta catch
a flight.
Speaker 3 (22:09):
I appreciate John Man. I love it. This is great man.
Love to catch up with y'all, man do this more. So.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
We just finished up interview on Calvin Johnson, and I
told you all the first half of the story about
the first time that we played him. What I forgot
to mention is the second half of that story. So
second half we go in, we're going for halftime and
coach Smith he comes to me and says, lovely Smith,
Love Smith.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
Yes, lovey Smith.
Speaker 1 (22:39):
He comes over and then they say, hey, we're gonna
make a defensive adjustment real quick. We're gonna put you
back on Calvin. Things aren't working out too well for Zach,
So you line up on Calvin.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
Line up on Calvin. Second half, do my thing.
Speaker 1 (22:53):
I mean, he catches a couple passes, but for the
most part, I think I do a pretty good job of,
you know, locking him down well. Toward the end of
the game or really like the last one of the
last plays, I'm on the left, I'm on the right side.
They put some crazy formation in. Calvin didn't get the
lineup on my side. I think he was in the
slot and he motion back across the field. Yes, we're
(23:14):
gonna get him away from Peanut, and he got him
away from me. It was great matchup. So he's matched
up back on Zach and then I don't know the
exact play, but I remember jamming my guy and I
looked across the field and quarterback throws it.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
He catches it. I mean it was a It was
an amazing catch kind of in the back half corner
of the end zone.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Yep, two feet falls down, sat there for a second,
and then he used the ball to actually get up,
to get up and stand up, and then the rough
feree was like, no catch, no catch, no catch.
Speaker 4 (23:48):
Well, it's also because when he used the ball to
get up, the ball moved and it like squirted off
to the side and he got up celebrating. For those
that you can go back and watch this plays, this
is what brought up the whole is it a ca
catch no catch rule? I know Dez Bryant was another
big one later on versus Stream, but this was one
of the first real examples that you saw it. Calvin
(24:09):
Johnson clearly caught this touchdown. He caught the ball, got
up to celebrate, used the ball as.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
He was getting up, and it was a no catch.
Speaker 1 (24:15):
Yeah, seventeen years later, I can I can honestly say, yeah,
the man Calvin called he called the football. It was
a you know, it should have been a touchdown.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
At the moment. At the time, I was like, no,
we won that game. Who so tell me because that's
what I saw. I wanted.
Speaker 4 (24:30):
You know, when you're on the sidelines, you see this
guy catch the ball, so your mind is it was
a touchdown.
Speaker 1 (24:36):
When I first saw it, yes, live on the other
side of the field, I looked as like, oh.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
Damn, mat oh damn, he called it.
Speaker 3 (24:43):
He called it.
Speaker 2 (24:44):
Oh, no, touch he really caught that. But hey, let's
get off the field.
Speaker 4 (24:47):
Look, so so go as a dB because we always
take the dB side. At what point, du You're like, man,
I mean they kind of got cheated. That was kind
of a touchdown immediately.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
I mean we talked about in the locker room. It's like,
you think that was a hell yeah, it was a catch.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
I don't know how they didn't know it, But I'll
take the win, you know what I'm saying. It's gonna
help us out.
Speaker 1 (25:07):
But yeah, I think everyone knew it was a catch.
He knew it was a catch. Yeah, that's just one
less touchdown he has on his stat book. But clearly
everyone knows it was a catch. Calvin torched us that
game and they should have won the game, but they didn't.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
Sorry, make a tron.
Speaker 1 (25:24):
We got the dub, but it was a catch, bro,
It was a hell of a catch too. Thank you
guys for listening. You know, with every show we do,
in every guest we have, we try to make it
very authentic and just be vulnerable and open and secure
and make this a safe place for these guys to talk.
And you guys have been awesome for supporting us. We
can't thank you enough.
Speaker 4 (25:45):
We are here to educate and entertain, So make sure,
like always and I always ask you, make sure you
hit the subscribe button. Give him a five star rating,
Tell a friend to tell a friend to do reput.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
Tell a friend, make sure anywhere you.
Speaker 4 (26:00):
To your podcast where it's Apple or iHeart linked in.
Speaker 2 (26:04):
Appreciate y'all.
Welcome to the NFL Player Second Acts Podcast. I'll Peanut
Tillman and this is my uncle Roman Harper.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
I was your nephew earlier. You can give my uncle Roman.
You know you go up and down whatever.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
You look older than me.
Speaker 4 (00:22):
All right, Well, look, as always, I want you guys
to give us a like a.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
Five star rating review.
Speaker 4 (00:29):
After that, make sure you hit follow, give us a subscription,
and anywhere you listen to your podcast at with his
iHeart or Apple podcasts.
Speaker 2 (00:37):
Hey, we had a great interview with Calvin Johnson. Give
it a listen.
Speaker 4 (00:45):
I'm excited about this guest that we have today, and
it's really because we know this player very very well.
We both played against him. You played against him all
the time. You guys had legendary battles. And he is
a great human being doing some really great things. Brother,
and just an immaculate person as well, very humble and
just really great to have me.
Speaker 1 (01:05):
Look, he's I'm gonna read some of his resume highlights
because he's got so many.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
It's a lot. It's a lot. Well, first off, they
call him Megatron Mega.
Speaker 1 (01:14):
He's the second overall pick in the two thousand and
seven draft. He played nine years for the Detroit Lions
from the d four time All Pro holds the NFL
record for the most receiving yards in a single season
nineteen hundred yards or hundred and sixty four. He got
inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame in twenty twenty one.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
First ballot. First ballot. That means something, that means a lot.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
So please welcome a good friend of mine and our guests.
Calvin Johnson appreciated fellas, what's good man going?
Speaker 3 (01:48):
Good man? It's good to see y'all. Buddy, man, it's
been a long time.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
Yeah, it's it has been like we were, you know,
we were across the way, across the room, and I
was like, oh, man, is that isn't what I think?
And I think I was talking to CJ.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
I was like, yo, man, we have some legendary battles.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
Yo. Like that.
Speaker 1 (02:05):
We was like, I leave Fraser like we had some
heavyweight battles.
Speaker 2 (02:11):
It was great. We want I'm going to I want
to ask.
Speaker 4 (02:13):
Him about that, but first of all, I want to
know before before we addressed the elephant in the room,
because I got a real big question for you too
about your career. But number one, what was your first like,
welcome to the NFL. Moment, you get drafted to Detroit.
You come from Georgia Tech. Not everybody saw you playing
ball out in college, but we saw you at the combine.
We talked about that earlier. I asked him, did he
(02:34):
For those that don't know, I said, Calvin, did you
run at the combine? We were talking about it.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
He's like, oh, yeah, I ran. That's that what I forgot.
Speaker 3 (02:41):
You said.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
Two, three, five fast. Guys always run fast.
Speaker 4 (02:50):
So what was your first like, welcome to the NFL
moment going to Detroit?
Speaker 3 (02:55):
Man? Who so many but welcome to the NFL. Shoot,
I don't land it in Detroit, man. We went to
the practice facility and I think we went downtown, maybe
to the stadium. But on my way from the airport,
I want to go right back home. I'm like, can
y'all put me on the next thing back to Atlanta broke.
All I saw was dilapidated buildings, burnt down buildings. It
(03:17):
was an eyesore Detroit. I mean from where Detroit is
now to where it was fifteen years ago, night and day.
Speaker 4 (03:22):
And that's Detsemack in the middle of the crisis too.
And the housing crisis in seven. Yeah, probably getting drafted No.
Seven yep. So yeah, you're debt smack in the middle
of it. Oh yeah, everything's going.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
To Detroit got thousands of thousands of homes and you
can only imagine how many were abandon like I say,
burnt down. And it was just it was a very
depressing scene, to say the least.
Speaker 4 (03:43):
Calvin, could you please indulge in this give us an
insight on what all you knew when you had to
face against Charles p Nutt Tillman, because you guys faced
each other twice a year.
Speaker 2 (03:53):
Legendary battles. This he had the formula against you.
Speaker 4 (03:56):
Actually, he was like the one guy around the league
that we say, hey, we can trying to emulate anything
like Pa was doing. At least frustrate him, you know,
holding him to sixty yards. That's a great day, Calvin Johnson,
So what did you know or do prepare mentally physically
going into these games before?
Speaker 3 (04:12):
Before the first time I played Peanut, all I heard
was from Roy Williams like, you got the dog over there.
I'm just like, all right, you know, I see when
I get out there, you know. But the first game
I played, you was playing may be a little bit
of Roy. But then later in the game, I started
seeing more of you, and I was I was mad
at Peanut for a minute, you know, at least like
until the next year, until I talked to you again,
(04:33):
because he tackled me and he was almost like a
horse call tackle on the sideline, like oh yeah, but
I was so zone yeah yeah, sideline, And I was like,
I was just mad at him. He didn't probably ain't, no,
I was just steaming. I was just I did not like.
I was like, he's he's not a good guy.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
That's Colvin. Yeah, he's not a good not a good guy.
Speaker 1 (04:58):
You know.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
But every but ever since then, man, I had to
play this dude twice a year. It's to bring your
lunch peal kind of game. There's not a playoff, and
it was there's I don't know if there's another player
like this where I had to play against in every
play he gonna bring it. Like usually by the end
of the game, I'm leaning on folks, I'm like, I
like to grab him, try to move him around a
little bit. So I'm here and I'm gonna be here
(05:22):
all game. Peanut was bringing that same energy, so I'm like, Okay,
all right, this is how it's gonna be. I'm like,
dang boy, I can't wait for this boy to get traded.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
Well.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
No, it was beautiful, man, because he made plays on me.
You know, I was able to make plays, but it
was never easy. He made me work for it, and
that's why I appreciated the most. That's why while I
like playing Chicago so much, because I knew I was
gonna get that legitimate battle. It's gonna be super authentic.
It's gonna be tough as hell. But at the end
of the game, you know, whether we win or we lose,
I know I was gonna be satisfied because I know
I was gonna get my all and I know I
(05:52):
was gonna get it off from him.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
Yeah, I think I can honestly say that when people
asked me about who was one of the toughest receivers,
you are in that conversation and the thing that I
appreciated the most about you.
Speaker 2 (06:03):
Because everyone's like, oh, who's who's the biggest trash targle?
Who talked it? I was like, it wasn't Calvin. He
didn't I never heard. He just didn't say nothing. He
was quiet, you know, why.
Speaker 3 (06:15):
Bro, you see me out there? I'm running nine all games.
Time to be talking to y'all right, to be there
to end the game?
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Yeah, so I would.
Speaker 1 (06:26):
I would literally sounds like he don't. He's a silent professional.
He doesn't say nothing. He just you know, you make
a good play. He makes a good play. He gets up,
gives a ball, official goes back in the hudel, and
he just does it again.
Speaker 2 (06:42):
Touchdown. He all right, So you know, what is your
best Calvin Johnson moment? Best Calvin Johnson moment? I kind
of liked. So the story of you ran like a reverse.
I don't even yet so it was I probably say.
Speaker 1 (07:04):
That was that was your rookieyear, right, was that your
rookiear So I switched over to right corner and Zach
Bowman was the left corner, and you were destroying Zach
the entire game. So the second half came Lovey Smith
was like, hey, and that was that was the same year.
(07:24):
They were like, hey, we think Zach's are our our
he's our our shutdown corner.
Speaker 2 (07:29):
We're moving you over to the right and.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
I was like, okay, we gonna see and then you
exposed him that game come in havetime lovey Smith.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
I was like, yeah, we uh.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Yeah, we probably we probably messed up. Let's list say, Peanut,
you you go back to handling. Uh, you just follow Calvin.
Speaker 2 (07:48):
Now, we we're gonna let you take care of that,
all right. Cool.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
So I go back and I do that, and then
it was a reverse and I remember trying to take
like the proper angle to try to get you. You know,
he full three five before too, So I'm running running,
And I never thought of myself as like a hard
hitting guy, but I remember on that play when I
hit him, I was like, yo, I brought his son.
Speaker 2 (08:12):
I gave him business. Let's yo, That's.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
Why I did. I didn't want to see him turned
up like that. That's another turn up.
Speaker 2 (08:26):
I was excited because when I don't hit people that hard, bro.
Speaker 1 (08:29):
So when I actually got one, I was like, yo,
I felt like ray Lewis, I felt like Land's Briggs.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
I felt like t Like. I felt good. So I
was like my hell, yeah, welcome to the league, sucker.
Speaker 3 (08:42):
I was yo, defense was me?
Speaker 2 (08:44):
I agree?
Speaker 3 (08:45):
You mentioned Briggs and I had to crack on him
one time that game. Yeah, come down in the short
motion was peaking in I hope you don't see me,
and he looked me up. He's like, and he gave
me a nod. I'm like, I had to go and
hit him, but he gave me a concussion.
Speaker 1 (09:00):
A concussion, yeah, man, we had I will say this
about Detroit though. Man, when you when you play the
team into the division, you know them well, you play
them twice a year. But those are some I don't
care if we were ten and OZ. When you guys
are on ten or whatever the record was, those are
always the toughest games.
Speaker 3 (09:19):
You know.
Speaker 1 (09:20):
You know, when we were in Carolina, we played Atlanta.
We should have smashed Atlanta, and they came up and
beat the crap out of us.
Speaker 2 (09:27):
And that was here. We went to the super Bowl.
We had a great team.
Speaker 1 (09:30):
It's just for whatever, for whatever reason, those teams that
are in your division, they know every little thing and
niche about you. And the way you get past that
is the team who makes the fewest mistakes or executes
the best. That's the team that's actually.
Speaker 2 (09:47):
Gonna win that.
Speaker 4 (09:48):
All right, It's one quick story here, I gotta get in.
And this is because it was literally the first time
anying by the NFL had ever done this and so
we're in New Orleans, Detroit is coming in.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
It was early in Calvin's career.
Speaker 4 (10:01):
And literally we put two guys on Calvin right on
the goal line just to tell Matthew Stafford, like, you're
not going to throw it here. And it was the
first time anybody ever done this. So when we line
up two guys right in front of you in the
red zone, number one, what goes through your mind? And
then when you guys go through the sidelines, like why
did this discussion go on? Because I know what we
were thinking or what we were trying to do, which
(10:23):
we were just gonna say, we don't care if we
play with nine guys everybody else but like you can't
do it.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
So what happened on you guys side?
Speaker 3 (10:30):
When I first saw that, when I lined up and
I saw I'm like, okay, this is But my initial
thought was like, okay, they're like y'all were like on
my on my shoulders. I'm like, I could split these
guys and still go up and get it. That's what
I'm thinking. Yeah, But I know Matthew when he looked
out there, I know he was like I knew that.
That's the first thing he said but I'm thinking my mind.
I'm sitting here like every time, I'm like, dude, just
throw the ball up, Just throw it up, give me
a chance, you know. But yeah, Matthew, when he saw that,
(10:51):
he was like, oh yeah, you didn't have a chance.
He told me that. He was like, yeah, when I
saw that, I was like, you weren't getting the ball.
Speaker 2 (10:57):
I'm curious to know like we would. We would watch.
Speaker 1 (11:01):
You day in and day out, week in and week out,
year in and year out, dominate players all the time.
I think y'all played Cincinnati and you caught it over
three dudes. You played Dallas, you caught it over like
two or three dudes, And I'm just like, man, this
dude at here, what is it like this? Y'all got
(11:22):
like three DB's on, you got a free strong and
a corner.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
And he's still cancl it over.
Speaker 1 (11:27):
Y'all, At what point did you realize you could dominate
this game?
Speaker 3 (11:34):
Probably like after my second year, now, my rookie year,
I had a couple of injuries. My second year, I
came out strong, had a really good season, like thirteen
hundred twelve thirteen hundred yards, and there's that point where
you know, we're really you know, Sean Jefferson, my coach,
you know, we looked at each other at in the season.
He was like, man, once you go into all season,
take a good look at yourself in the mirror, because
what you did this year, it's got to be better
(11:56):
next year. I'm like, shoot, how I never hit thirteen before?
But that's how he all just kept pushing. Man, just
take a look in the mirror. Let's look at our weaknesses. Yeah,
we know what our strengths are, but we're gonna work
on those end weaknesses. Day by day. Pick a pick
an attribute, we're gonna work on it, and then by
the end of the season, you know, by the end
of training camp or what have you. If you take
that approach, working on that one attribute that you need
assistance in, obviously not neglecting everything else, but really's putting
(12:18):
a special focus on that. You know, you're gonna see
that attributes tend to tend to level up with the
rest of the things that you're good with. So just
taking those attributes one thing day by day, addam adam
to the repertoire, or just building upon your toolkit and uh,
you know I'm able to You're able to you know,
just you know, do the things that we're doing doing
on the field. Yeah, be successful.
Speaker 1 (12:38):
Yeah, so did you I know, what's my favorite pick?
I know, I gotta I got a favorite play that like,
I think that like kind of stood out for me.
Nineteen hundred yards in one season, thirteen twelve hundred one season,
thirteen hundred another season. Out of out of the nine years,
with thousands of catches that you've had, what's been like
(13:01):
your number one catch? What's been your favorite catch? Slash touchdown?
Speaker 3 (13:05):
Now you wouldn't even touch down. It's an overtime play.
We're down in Temple. Drew Stanton was our quarterback. Matthew
went down. He was hurt, and it was the It's
probably one of the coldest toe girl toe taps I've
had because it wasn't it wasn't a typical toe tap.
Ran to come back, nice smooth route, had to do running.
I come back, but I'm on the sideline already and
(13:25):
Drews has the ball. The ball is up high and
I can't jump. Unfortunately, it's probably like just like seven
eight feet in the air, and I had a I
had literally had my toe. My heels were all the
way off the sideline. Literally, if this is the sideline,
he was over the side. I was on the toes,
on my toes, just keeping my feet in bounce and
came down with a catch and overtime to help Jason
Hanson go in to kick the game within the field goal.
(13:47):
Nobody really knows about that one because you don't get seen.
But its most proud because the route was crispy and
just the fundamentals and then then just the toe drag
like it wasn't even tow dragt swag like I hadn't
seen nobody catch a ball like that. Both just your
toes that are on the field and it was like
this lean back. So it was even I made a
bunch of crazy catches, but you know, just the moment
(14:09):
in the game where that was, you know, you know
how impactful it was. Obviously there's a lot of crazy
I made catches on top of folks, you know. I mean,
I take the most pride in that, you know, seeing
Randy Moss do it back in the day. I just
want to take those attributes from Randy t o just
all those guys I watched growing up just do a
little better.
Speaker 5 (14:26):
We're going to take a short break and we'll be
back in a minute.
Speaker 4 (14:43):
Now, you talk about all your attributes and all those
other things, and what attributes would you say attributed to
what you're doing now, which is what got you into
the medical cannabis industry.
Speaker 3 (14:55):
Huh. Really, just my hardhead in this really just going
hard all the time. That's why in this cannabis in
That's why I needed all these bumps and bruises, you know,
but from you know all the time, you know, we
have those bumps and bruises, and just I used cannabis
while I played, and you know it was it only
really started using it when I got to the lead.
(15:15):
I used a little bit in college, but when I
got to the league, it really was helping me when
I get to sleep, you know, limit the pain, Like
after practice going home, you know, you know, when I
get home, my light one up just because like I
get home and I'm aching. I always had chronic swelling
in my knees and ankles, and there wasn't really anything
to you know, really help that.
Speaker 1 (15:32):
You just had these ice But did you but did
you know the marijuana was helping age you or was
it just like no, I just want to get high.
Speaker 3 (15:38):
It helped me with my quality of life. God it
as far as you know, being able to sleep and
not have no problem at night, you know, just numbing
the pain. Yeah, you know, But it really wasn't until
I was able to use it in a different application,
you know, from different from smoking and actually using it
in a topical form, when I was really like light bulb,
you know. Okay, let's get down to the science of this,
because there's something here.
Speaker 2 (15:56):
Right, So you got out what was your last year?
Speaker 3 (15:59):
Fifteen?
Speaker 2 (16:00):
So your last year was fifteen?
Speaker 1 (16:01):
How long would you say it took you to have
a understanding and start your own practice and go out
and speak the way you speak about it because you're
passionate about it.
Speaker 2 (16:15):
I love that about you. But like, what how long did.
Speaker 1 (16:17):
Would you say it took you to be or to
become warre you are right now rather than just all right,
I'm just like one up just for quality of life.
Speaker 3 (16:26):
When I got done playing that, I mean I had
I did a couple of different things, just trying to figure
out where I wanted to be at with timing. Timing
is everything. Cannabis injury came along in Michigan. I was
passionate about it, and it's mainly yeah, I used to
while I was playing, But when I was on the
Dancing with the Stars show, that's when I really that's
when the light bulb went off because I wanted to
Dance with the Stars show and.
Speaker 2 (16:45):
They with you long hours too, bro, Really don't let
them trick long hours, trick long out a.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
Hell of an experience. If you like the movie, you
like to dance, like to be active, you know, it's experience.
To the finals. I was in third place, okay, but
you're based the finals, you get your bonus, so it
was good. But I was in the show about three
weeks and you know, you're dancing, bro, it's like footwork,
It's just like and my ankles and my knees started
to swoll up again on me. So we got to
(17:12):
the point where I was just like, you know, I
can't move out here like I need to. It's like
when I got done planning, I can't move. I can't
have the explosion. And I would look at my ankles
like balloons. And my buddy. I told my buddy when
to Georgia Tech with him. He's in the film industry
out there in Cali. I was like, man, I don't
have to quit the show because I like, I just
hang out with him whenever I went out there and
I was like, bro, I can't move, my ankles are swollen,
(17:33):
my knees are swollen. Like I can't do all that.
I can't do all the moves and whatnot. And he
break in. He brought me a topical I remember, the
green glass jar with a gold cap. Used it. A
couple of days later, my swelling started to go down,
and it stayed down, and I kept on using I'm like, okay,
there's something here. There's something here. And that's where I mean.
I was already passionate about Cannon because I knew it
helped me a little bit, but to really know that
there's something more to it, that's when I was like, Okay,
(17:54):
let's get to the science.
Speaker 4 (17:55):
Of it all right, now, what is the long term
plan for your specifically? I know you're talking about expanding
into Boston and some other areas. I know you've been
down in Alabama doing work with some of the hospitals
and different people down there. Maybe share with some of
the people you know. I'm good friends of Rob Sims and.
Speaker 2 (18:13):
His wife of course, Natalie. Oh yeah, yeah.
Speaker 4 (18:15):
Yeah, we went to school with his wife, Natalie and
stuff like that. So I've got to know the other
side of it. And I know some of your business partners,
and I know what you guys are thinking, but I
want you to share with some of our listeners some
of the long term plans of what Calvin Johnson in
this group is doing.
Speaker 3 (18:29):
Yeah, and we call it, I mean, our company is
called Primitive. Called primitive because people have been using cannabis
for thousands of a year, so by definition it is primitive.
But we really truly believe in the healing powers of
the plant. We're here, we're advocates for the industry. We're
trying to destigmatize it, but at the same time come
up with new innovative products. And that's what that's what
I'm excited about right now, because we're getting to that
point where we're being able to create these new innovative products.
(18:51):
And we talk about innovation in cannabis, you know, we're
talking about bringing like, you know, pharmaceutical grade equipment and
using it with cannabis, you know, And that's what we're
doing right now. And with that, we're able to create
the cannabis particles and such a small size using nanotechnology
that it's more efficient. You know, talent all and all
those things. It's nanotechnology. It's small particle size that's able
(19:11):
to bypass through your intestinal system and get into the bloodstream,
therefore making it more effective. So just creating products of
that sort, and we're just scratching the surface. You know.
Our first two products that we came out with is
a ORRS, which is an oral rehydration solution and the
topical cream. The reason why we came out with those
because we used them religiously when we played got to
stay hydrated. It's key, and you get the topicals that
(19:33):
we used. It was just cooling and heating. There was
really no function to it. But now we're able to
add cannabinoids to it. We're able to ad cannabinoids to it, CBD, CBG, CBC,
CBD or CBG. Adding these cannabinoids to them increases the
anti inflammation of properties that you're putting into your body.
So and those different cannabinoids have proven to be anti inflammatory.
(19:58):
So it's inciting man just being able to bring these
products to market that will be effective for the masses.
Speaker 4 (20:04):
I know we got to go here and I want
to ask you the same question we always trying to
ask everybody before we let you off the hot seat.
I know you got to catch a flight, but who
is in your mount Rushmore of influence? Whether it's coaches,
paying family. It's only four, but I would like to
know your mount More Rushmore.
Speaker 3 (20:23):
Yeah, Rushmore of influence. I don't want to say parents.
That's two. It's giving one want entity, we let you
have one. So I got my parents. Derek Moore, he
was my chaplain at Georgia Tech. You know, it really
spoke to me spiritually, really got me in a place
where I was able to be my own believer, you know,
(20:45):
and not that I wasn't going into college, but to
you know, do it yourself. You know, to understand, have
an understanding for yourself is different than just when you're
coming up and you know, getting it from your family
and the church. So my parents, Derek Moore, Jefferson, my
receiver coach. You know, he was a great player, but
he's a great man. You know, not only did he
(21:06):
teach us how to be great players, but his biggest,
bigger focus was on being a better man. All the
skills he taught me, you know, it was you know, shoot.
You know, all the different sayings, you know, keep stacking
or you know, stay ready so you don't have to
get ready. All those things ring true and there's legitimate
meaning behind all those things. And lastly, this last one's tough.
(21:32):
I'm gonna say my big sister, and Big says, it
has been such an influence in my life. Positive influence.
You know, she's the doctor. When I was growing up,
she was my tutor, you know, for her. If it
wasn't for her, you know, I might have went and
played Major League baseball out of high school, you know,
and not even went to college and played. So I
was able to get the college experience because she was
tutoring me at Clark Atlanta University. I got to be
(21:52):
around at AUC and just see what it's like to
be in college. I was like, oh, I can't forego this.
So half my big sister. I have a tremendous amount
of love for her. You know, she helps me with
my foundation. So's she's all and everything to us too.
So those are those are my top four.
Speaker 2 (22:06):
Well, Calvin, thank you, brother, I know you gotta catch
a flight.
Speaker 3 (22:09):
I appreciate John Man. I love it. This is great man.
Love to catch up with y'all, man do this more. So.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
We just finished up interview on Calvin Johnson, and I
told you all the first half of the story about
the first time that we played him. What I forgot
to mention is the second half of that story. So
second half we go in, we're going for halftime and
coach Smith he comes to me and says, lovely Smith,
Love Smith.
Speaker 2 (22:38):
Yes, lovey Smith.
Speaker 1 (22:39):
He comes over and then they say, hey, we're gonna
make a defensive adjustment real quick. We're gonna put you
back on Calvin. Things aren't working out too well for Zach,
So you line up on Calvin.
Speaker 2 (22:50):
Line up on Calvin. Second half, do my thing.
Speaker 1 (22:53):
I mean, he catches a couple passes, but for the
most part, I think I do a pretty good job of,
you know, locking him down well. Toward the end of
the game or really like the last one of the
last plays, I'm on the left, I'm on the right side.
They put some crazy formation in. Calvin didn't get the
lineup on my side. I think he was in the
slot and he motion back across the field. Yes, we're
(23:14):
gonna get him away from Peanut, and he got him
away from me. It was great matchup. So he's matched
up back on Zach and then I don't know the
exact play, but I remember jamming my guy and I
looked across the field and quarterback throws it.
Speaker 2 (23:30):
He catches it. I mean it was a It was
an amazing catch kind of in the back half corner
of the end zone.
Speaker 1 (23:36):
Yep, two feet falls down, sat there for a second,
and then he used the ball to actually get up,
to get up and stand up, and then the rough
feree was like, no catch, no catch, no catch.
Speaker 4 (23:48):
Well, it's also because when he used the ball to
get up, the ball moved and it like squirted off
to the side and he got up celebrating. For those
that you can go back and watch this plays, this
is what brought up the whole is it a ca
catch no catch rule? I know Dez Bryant was another
big one later on versus Stream, but this was one
of the first real examples that you saw it. Calvin
(24:09):
Johnson clearly caught this touchdown. He caught the ball, got
up to celebrate, used the ball as.
Speaker 2 (24:13):
He was getting up, and it was a no catch.
Speaker 1 (24:15):
Yeah, seventeen years later, I can I can honestly say, yeah,
the man Calvin called he called the football. It was
a you know, it should have been a touchdown.
Speaker 2 (24:24):
At the moment. At the time, I was like, no,
we won that game. Who so tell me because that's
what I saw. I wanted.
Speaker 4 (24:30):
You know, when you're on the sidelines, you see this
guy catch the ball, so your mind is it was
a touchdown.
Speaker 1 (24:36):
When I first saw it, yes, live on the other
side of the field, I looked as like, oh.
Speaker 2 (24:41):
Damn, mat oh damn, he called it.
Speaker 3 (24:43):
He called it.
Speaker 2 (24:44):
Oh, no, touch he really caught that. But hey, let's
get off the field.
Speaker 4 (24:47):
Look, so so go as a dB because we always
take the dB side. At what point, du You're like, man,
I mean they kind of got cheated. That was kind
of a touchdown immediately.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
I mean we talked about in the locker room. It's like,
you think that was a hell yeah, it was a catch.
Speaker 2 (25:02):
I don't know how they didn't know it, But I'll
take the win, you know what I'm saying. It's gonna
help us out.
Speaker 1 (25:07):
But yeah, I think everyone knew it was a catch.
He knew it was a catch. Yeah, that's just one
less touchdown he has on his stat book. But clearly
everyone knows it was a catch. Calvin torched us that
game and they should have won the game, but they didn't.
Speaker 2 (25:22):
Sorry, make a tron.
Speaker 1 (25:24):
We got the dub, but it was a catch, bro,
It was a hell of a catch too. Thank you
guys for listening. You know, with every show we do,
in every guest we have, we try to make it
very authentic and just be vulnerable and open and secure
and make this a safe place for these guys to talk.
And you guys have been awesome for supporting us. We
can't thank you enough.
Speaker 4 (25:45):
We are here to educate and entertain, So make sure,
like always and I always ask you, make sure you
hit the subscribe button. Give him a five star rating,
Tell a friend to tell a friend to do reput.
Speaker 2 (25:57):
Tell a friend, make sure anywhere you.
Speaker 4 (26:00):
To your podcast where it's Apple or iHeart linked in.
Speaker 2 (26:04):
Appreciate y'all.
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Charles “Peanut” Tillman
Roman Harper
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