Calvin Johnson, one the most spectacular receivers in NFL history, retired from the Lions on Tuesday and rekindled memories of the way superstar running back Barry Sanders quietly stepped away from football.
The 30-year-old Johnson called it a career after nine seasons filled with highlight-reel catches, dozens of touchdowns and nearly 12,000 yards receiving. The 6-foot-5-inch receiver was known as Megatron, a sign of respect for his imposing skills and unusual mixture of speed, power and gracefulness.
‘‘Let me assure you that this was not an easy or hasty decision,’’ Johnson said. ‘‘I, along with those closest to me, have put a lot of time, deliberation and prayer into this decision and I truly am at peace with it.’’
Shortly after Detroit finished last season with a 7-9 mark — their seventh losing season in nine years — Johnson announced he was evaluating his future. He had reportedly told some teammates entering last season that it would be his last and told coach Jim Caldwell afterward that he was retiring.
Johnson piled up 731 career receptions for 11,619 yards, a league-record 86.1 yards receiving per game, and 83 touchdowns against defenses often geared to stop him. He reached 10,000 yards (115 games) and 11,000 yards (127 games) yards quicker than anyone in NFL history. Including the postseason, he has another league mark with six 200-yard receiving games.
Johnson broke one of Hall of Famer Jerry Rice’s records with 1,964 yards receiving in 2012. He ranked among league leaders last season with 88 receptions for 1,214 yards and nine TDs, playing through lingering injuries as he often did.
‘‘Not only is he as good as any player I've ever seen, but I am convinced that God has not put a finer person on this earth than Calvin Johnson,’’ Caldwell said.
The three-time All Pro and six-time Pro Bowl receiver leaves Detroit much as Sanders did. The Hall of Famer slipped away from the Lions shortly before the 1999 season after he had 1,491 yards rushing as a 30-year-old running back the previous year, faxing the announcement to a friend at his hometown newspaper.
Like Sanders, the quiet and humble Johnson avoided the spotlight and released a statement of his own.
‘‘While I truly respect the significance of this, those who know me best will understand and not be surprised that I choose not to have a press conference,’’ Johnson said. ‘‘After much prayer, thought and discussion with loved ones, I have made the difficult decision to retire from the Lions and pro football. I have played my last game of football.’’
Detroit drafted Johnson out of Georgia Tech with the No. 2 pick in 2007 and gave him a six-year deal worth up to $64 million. Former teammate Roy Williams gave him his nickname and Johnson gave fans in the Motor City a reason to watch their scuffling team. Like Sanders, his jaw-dropping plays made the Lions bearable.
‘‘He was an amazing and rare talent both on and off the field, and I feel lucky to have been able to see him play,’’ Sanders said on his website.
Unlike Sanders, Johnson had to endure the NFL’s first 0-16 season in 2008 and he never won a playoff game.
The Lions have now had one of the best running backs and receivers in league history and only one playoff victory to show for it. Sanders helped Detroit beat Dallas in the playoffs on Jan. 5, 1992, the franchise’s only successful day in the postseason since winning the 1957 NFL title.
Johnson, though, refused to ever rant about how the team failed to surround him with enough good players and coaches to win when it mattered most.
He declined last season to say if he would restructure his contract, which called for him to count $24 million against the salary cap next season. In 2012, he signed an eight-year contract through 2019 that could've potentially paid him $132 million. The Lions said Tuesday only that ‘‘matters were settled to the satisfaction of the parties’’ one day before free agency opened across the league.
Dolphins ink Williams
Defensive end Mario Williams signed a $16 million, two-year contract with the Dolphins, who now have an abundance of Pro Bowl pass rushers — for the moment, at least.
Williams reached the agreement a week after being released by the Bills. The Dolphins sought reinforcement at end because they may lose defensive end Olivier Vernon in free agency, and the status of four-time Pro Bowl end Cameron Wake is in doubt, too.
Miami’s defensive front also includes four-time Pro Bowl tackle Ndamukong Suh.
Last week Miami placed a $12.734 million transition tag on Vernon, allowing him to negotiate with other teams. He’s widely expected to sign elsewhere, and the Dolphins are now unlikely to match the offer, although they have the right of first refusal.
Wake might be allowed to depart, too. He’s 34 and coming off a torn Achilles’ tendon, and the Dolphins have been negotiating in vain to reduce his $9.8 million salary cap hit.
The pass rush could use an upgrade — Miami tied for 25th in the NFL with 31 sacks last season.
Changes up front are part of a revamping of the defense under new coach Adam Gase. Miami also swung a trade this week to acquire cornerback Byron Maxwell and linebacker Kiko Alonso from the Eagles for a draft choice, pending their physicals.
Williams, 31, has 96 sacks, but had only five last season under new Bills coach Rex Ryan. At times, Williams complained about his role and seemed disinterested.
Selected No. 1 overall in the 2006 draft, Williams spent his first six seasons in Houston. He has made the Pro Bowl four times, most recently in 2014, when he had 14½ sacks.
Earlier in the day, tight end Jordan Cameron accepted a $1.5 million pay cut this year to stay with the Dolphins.
Cameron agreed to a restructured contract that reduces his salary this year to $6 million from $7.5 million, with Miami saving the difference in salary cap space.
Cameron signed a two-year deal with the Dolphins a year ago. He caught 35 passes for 386 yards and three scores.
Vinatieri still kicking
Kicker Adam Vinatieri, the NFL’s oldest player, has agreed to terms to remain with the Colts.
The team announced the agreement with the 43-year-old four-time Super Bowl champion. Vinatieri has been with the Colts for 10 seasons, including the 2006 NFL championship season.
He also won three titles with the Patriots before joining Indianapolis as a free agent.
He holds career postseason records for points scored (234), field goals (56), and extra points (66).
Colts general manager Ryan Grigson calls Vinatieri ‘‘a future Hall of Famer’’ and praises the kicker for ‘‘his hard work, consistency and professionalism.’’
Vinatieri is one of only three kickers with 500 career field goals. He ranks third in total points as the NFL’s active leader and sixth in regular-season games played.
Raiders snag Osemele
The Raiders struck early for their top target in free agency, agreeing in principle to a five-year deal with former Baltimore offensive lineman Kelechi Osemele.
A person with knowledge of the deal confirmed that the sides agreed to the deal on Tuesday, the day before free agents can officially sign contracts with new teams. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the contract can’t be signed until the start of the new league year. NFL Media first reported the contract and said it could be worth up to $60 million.
Osemele was considered one of the top offensive linemen on the market because of his strong play and versatility. He played both guard and tackle last season with the Ravens and could fill either role in Oakland. The Raiders are looking to upgrade at right guard from J'Marcus Webb, and left tackle Donald Penn is a free agent who might not return.
Osemele joined the Ravens in 2012 as a second-round pick out of Iowa State. He started all 16 games as a rookie, helping Baltimore win the Super Bowl. After being limited to seven games in 2013 by a back injury, Osemele started 28 games the past two seasons, playing left tackle in his final four contests in 2015.
Incognito stays in Buffalo
Despite fielding offers from other NFL teams, guard Richie Incognito elected to stay in Buffalo and repay the Bills for giving him a second chance at football.
Incognito acknowledged he accepted a little less money in forgoing free agency and agreeing to a three-year, $15 million contract with Buffalo.
‘‘I went from a guy nobody wanted to getting redeemed by Buffalo, and I owe them a lot,’’ Incognito said during a conference call. ‘‘You can’t put a price tag on that. They believe in me and I believe in them. I'm real excited about where we are headed.’’
The agreement was reached a day before Incognito was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent.
The contract represents the latest step in Incognito’s re-emergence. His future had been uncertain before he signed a one-year contract with Buffalo in January 2015. It came after Incognito spent 15 months out of football for being a central figure in the Dolphins’ bullying scandal in 2013.
Incognito emerged as a team leader and key member of an offensive line that helped the Bills lead the league with 2,432 yards rushing. He started all 16 games at left guard.
Entering his 11th season, Incognito referred to the new contract as a ‘‘another checkpoint’’ in his comeback.
‘‘I was just talking with my mom and we were shedding tears of joy,’’ he said. ‘‘This is another chapter in my life, and the other chapters have not been so great. But just the resiliency and the dedication and the resolve to get to this point, it definitely plays in the back of my mind.’’
Pierre-Paul re-ups
Citing unfinished business, defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul said he and the Giants have agreed to terms on a new contract.
The free agent announced his intentions in a post on Instagram. He said he chose to return to the team that made him a first-round draft pick in 2010 despite interest from several other teams, including the Cardinals.
‘‘Now with that said,’’ he wrote, ‘‘I have some unfinished business to take care of in New York!!! Giants fans! Let’s get to work for the 2016 season because your boy is back and I am not going anywhere!’’
The free agency period begins at 4 p.m. Wednesday.
The popular pass rusher, who had 16½ sacks in 2011, was limited to one sack in the final eight games last year. A July 4 fireworks accident that cost Pierre-Paul his right index finger sidelined him for the first half of the schedule.
Vikings drop Wallace
The Vikings released wide receiver Mike Wallace after one unproductive season with the team. The move clears $11.5 million from Minnesota’s cap.
The Vikings spoke highly of Wallace’s influence on the younger wide receivers, but the 29-year-old had just 39 catches for 473 yards and two touchdowns, all career lows. They inherited his contract from Miami after acquiring him and a seventh-round draft pick in a trade that sent a fifth-round selection to the Dolphins.
Bucs sack Carter
The Buccaneers released linebacker Bruce Carter and re-signed safety Keith Tandy.
Carter was one of the team’s top acquisitions in free agency a year ago, signing a four-year, $17 million contract after spending the first four seasons of his career with the Cowboys.
He lost the starting middle linebacker job to rookie Kwon Alexander during training camp, however and wound up not having the impact the Bucs anticipated — appearing in 14 games, including three late-season starts, and finishing with 39 tackles and two sacks.
By releasing the 28-year-old Carter, the Bucs avoided having to pay his $750,000 roster bonus due Wednesday. He also was scheduled to earn $3.5 million next season.
Tandy was one of Tampa Bay’s 10 unrestricted free agents. A sixth-round draft pick in 2012, he’s started seven of 54 games he’s played over the past four seasons and has four career interceptions.
Surgery for Romo
Dallas quarterback Tony Romo underwent shoulder surgery and should be ready for offseason workouts when they start in May.
Romo had the procedure on the left collarbone that he broke twice last season, causing him to miss 12 games. Recovery time is 6-8 weeks.
The first injury came in Week 2 against Philadelphia, and the Cowboys went 0-7 without him on their way to a last-place finish in the NFC East at 4-12. Dallas won in his return at Miami, but he got hurt again in his second game back against Carolina.
Because of Romo’s injuries, the Cowboys are likely to sign a backup in free agency to compete with Kellen Moore, who started the last two games in 2015.
Jaguars add DE Jackson
A person familiar with the negotiations says the Jaguars have agreed to terms with Broncos defensive end Malik Jackson. The six-year deal is worth up to $90 million and includes $42 million guaranteed, the person said, on condition of anonymity.
The Jaguars finished near the bottom of the league in just about every defensive category, and a lack of consistent pass rush was considered the main reason for the team’s struggles.
Jackson had 129 tackles, 14 sacks and two forced fumbles in his last three seasons. He started all 16 games in 2015, finishing with 45 tackles, seven passes defensed and five sacks.
Meanwhile, the Broncos released three players who helped them win the Super Bowl: tight end Owen Daniels, guard Louis Vasquez, and long snapper Aaron Brewer.
Denver is trying to clear salary-cap space to re-sign some of its key free agents, including Super Bowl MVP Von Miller, who received the franchise tag. With Peyton Manning retiring, the Broncos also need a starting quarterback and Brock Osweiler is a free agent.
Vasquez started all but one regular-season game in the last three seasons and all seven postseason matches. Daniels, signed by Denver as an unrestricted free agent from Baltimore last year, ranked third on the Broncos in receptions (46), receiving yards (517) and receiving touchdowns (3) during 2015.
Steelers hang onto Gay
The Steelers signed cornerback William Gay to a three-year deal, keeping the veteran in the fold rather than letting him test free agency.
The 31-year-old Gay is one of the league’s most dependable players. He’s played in 144 straight games since the Steelers took him in the fifth round of the 2007 draft. Gay has played eight of his nine seasons with the Steelers. He played for Arizona in 2012 before returning to Pittsburgh.
Gay holds the NFL record for most consecutive pick-sixes in NFL history, returning five straight interceptions for touchdowns between the 2013 and 2015 seasons. Gay, who served as Pittsburgh’s defensive captain in 2015, has 11 career interceptions to go with six sacks, seven forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
McKelvin flies coop
Longtime Bills cornerback Leodis McKelvin has agreed to terms on a two-year contract with the Eagles. McKelvin, 30, spent the last eight seasons with the Bills, who drafted him 11th overall in 2008 out of Troy University. Philadelphia ranked 30th in defense last year, 28th against the pass . . . A person familiar with the negotiations says tight end Michael Hoomanawanui has agreed to a three-year contract with the Saints. Hoomanawanui, 27, joined New Orleans in a trade early last season that sent defensive lineman Akiem Hicks to New England . . . The Colts waived outside linebacker Bjoern Werner less than three years after drafting him in the first round. Werner had just 6½ sacks in 38 games since being drafted 24th overall by Indianapolis in 2013.
After starting 15 games in 2014, Werner barely played last season. He got just 150 defensive snaps in 10 games, making 11 tackles and no sacks on a defense desperate for a pass rusher.
Werner is one of two recent wasted first-round picks for Indianapolis. The Colts also traded their 2014 first-rounder to Cleveland for Trent Richardson, who was cut after less than two full seasons in Indianapolis.
