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Former Lions star Calvin Johnson, shown here scoring next to then-Raiders cornerback Fabian Washington, seems jealous of Marshawn Lynch.
Jim Gensheimer/Bay Area New Groups Archives
Former Lions star Calvin Johnson, shown here scoring next to then-Raiders cornerback Fabian Washington, seems jealous of Marshawn Lynch.
Daniel Mano, High school sports reporter for the Bay Area News Group is photographed for a Wordpress profile in Walnut Creek, Calif., on Thursday, July 28, 2016. (Anda Chu/Bay Area News Group)
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It sounds like if Calvin Johnson had his way, he would pull a Marshawn Lynch.

That is, Johnson would happily compete for the Raiders rather than the team to which he is contractually obligated.

The former Lions wide receiver seemed a bit jealous of Lynch — who joined the Raiders with the permission of the Seahawks, his previous team — in a press conference posted online Wednesday by Italy’s FIDAF TV.

“He’s in a great situation,” Johnson said of Lynch. “If I was to keep playing, I had to play in Detroit and it just wasn’t for me anymore.”

Johnson referenced the Warriors when asked about if he’d thought of changing teams.

“Of course I’ve thought about it. Just like in basketball (where) guys create these super teams. But it’s not quite like that in football, where I had the freedom just to go,” Johnson said. “I was stuck in my contract with Detroit, and they told me they would not releases my contract, so I would have to come back to them (to the Lions). I didn’t see a chance for them to win a Super Bowl at the time, and for the work that I was putting it, it wasn’t worth my time to keep on beating my head against a wall and not going anywhere. That’s the definition of insanity.”

For the record, the extension Johnson signed with Detroit in 2012 runs through the 2019 season.

The six-time Pro Bowler also threw some major shade at the Lion’s chances of making it to the Super Bowl.

“At some point, they’ve got to make it,” Calvin said with a wide smile. “I don’t know when. At some point.”

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