ALLEN PARK >> The lines of communication remain open between Lions coach Jim Caldwell and retired wide receiver Calvin Johnson.
Caldwell said on Wednesday that he has not spoken to Johnson, but they do text often.
That relationship could be important in healing a rift between Johnson and the team.
The man known as Megatron told reporters over the weekend that he didn’t like the way his relationship ended with the team when he retired following the 2015 season. He did not offer specifics but it certainly could be because they asked him to return $320,000 of his $3.2 million signing bonus.
Caldwell is confident the two sides can come together. He’s just not sure of the time frame.
“First of all, I think all of us within the organization from top to bottom, from Mrs. (Martha) Ford on down through Rod (Wood) and Bob (Quinn) and the four (Ford) children, everybody. We’re all concerned about it,” Caldwell said on Wednesday.
The coach has gone out of his way to make alumni feel welcome. He has opened practices to alumni – any day, any time.
“I think you can see from the Taste of the Lions that a lot of the guys still come back and participate. Lomas Brown is always around doing something for us or helping us out with something. Barry (Sanders) was here during the Taste of the Lions. Billy Sims was here. There’s so many of the guys that have been such an important part of the organization were involved. That is important to us,” Caldwell said.
He compared an NFL team atmosphere to family and noted that families sometimes have disagreements.
“I have grown children. Sometimes we look at things a little differently and we hash them out and talk them out. There’s dialogue, but it doesn’t mean I don’t love them, but we get the differences worked out,” Caldwell said.
He thinks the same thing will happen with Johnson and the Lions.
“Maybe there’s a disagreement, a little different viewpoint, but the most important thing I think perhaps this whole thing will bring about a little bit more dialogue. Now, how long will that take? I’m not certain. I’m not putting any parameters on it, but I think there will probably be a little discussion, which I think will be a good thing,” Caldwell said.
Interestingly enough, Johnson’s wife Brittney McNorton is the senior manager of promotions at Ford Field.
Let the celebrating begin (again)
Not surprisingly, tight end Eric Ebron loves the NFL’s decision to take off the restrictions on players and let them celebrate touchdowns and big plays.
“Yeah, I’m with it. Hopefully I’ll have more than one touchdown this season. I’m definitely with that and everything it brings to the table,” Ebron said. “It gives us a chance to keep our fans happy.”
Ebron is not alone.
Even Jim Caldwell is good with the decision.
“I’m an old-school guy – don’t make any mistake about that. It’s kind of the way of the world these days,” said Caldwell who admits at times he’s been oblivious to the celebrations.
And then he went into story-telling mode.
“I was sitting down with my grandsons early on when they were very small and they were kind of going through the video games. And I watched the video games and the guy would make a tackle, or make a sack or whatever and he’d get up and on the video game he’s doing all these different sort of gyrations and all these different kind of things,” Caldwell said. “He’s moving around and I’m saying, ‘That’s unrealistic. They don’t do that.’ And then I thought about it and I started just kind of watching after the play and it was true to life. Obviously, they do a lot of those things. I just think that’s kind of the way things are these days, so it’s fine.”
Certain restrictions will apply including no sexually explicit or violent themes. Caldwell expects the league will produce a video showing dos and don’ts.
This and that
A few players were sidelined at Wednesday’s OTAs including linebacker Tahir Whitehead, safety Don Carey and running back Theo Riddick who is coming off surgery. Also new right guard T.J. Lang was on the field but not practicing. He is coming off hip surgery and expects to be ready for training camp. … Running back Ameer Abdullah was taking reps and looked fine. He missed the final 14 games in 2016 with a foot injury. … Glover Quin was out for personal reasons.
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