Hall of Famer admits he played games while high on drugs
Feb 6, 2022; Paradise, Nevada, USA; The NFL shield logo is seen at midfield before the Pro Bowl football game at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Calvin Johnson dominated defensive backs right through the final season of his NFL career, and he even did so while not sober in some instances.
Johnson made a big admission about his playing days during a recent appearance on Robert Griffin III’s “RG3 and The Ones” podcast. The former Detroit Lions star was asked if he ever played any games high, and he said he did during his final season in 2015.
“Yes I have,” Johnson bluntly stated. “There was some games there in my career, man, (where) I was like I don’t know how I’m gonna make it today. I don’t know how I’m gonna make it today. I need my mind right.”
Griffin then followed up by asking if Johnson was high when the Hall of Fame wide receiver cooked the Dallas Cowboys with 329 receiving yards in 2013. Johnson said he only smoked weed before games in 2015 when he was “just barely hanging on.”
“Na, it was like my last year when I was just barely hanging on,” Johnson said.
Calvin had to get his mind right before games 😂 @RGIII @calvinjohnsonjr pic.twitter.com/g2Im4yIgPX
— RG3 and The Ones (@rg3andtheones) February 5, 2024
Johnson stunned the sports world when he retired at age 30 coming off a season in which he had 88 catches for 1,214 yards and 9 touchdowns. He was still at the peak of his game, but his admission about getting high just to make it through the year gives you an idea of how he felt physically and mentally in that final season.
Of course, Johnson is not the only former NFL player to admit he was high during games. It is probably a lot more common than people realize.
