NFL Legend Calvin Johnson Used Weed To Prepare His Mind, Manage Pain In His Final Season

In a recent episode of Robert Griffin III’s podcast, ‘RG3 and The Ones,‘ former Detroit Lions star receiver, Calvin Johnson, said he consumed cannabis before some games in his final NFL season in 2015. Why? To prepare his mind and manage pain.

"There were some games in my career, man, where I was like ‘I don't know if I'm gonna make it today," Johnson said.

"Is more so, kind of get your mind right," he said when asked about the cannabis consumption before games. "Body's not going to cooperate, let me add a little effort to my system so I can just go out there and just say, effort let me go to destroy my body for 60 minutes."

Johnson, whose career is considered short by Hall of Fame standards, having played 135 games over nine seasons and retiring at 30, co-founded a Michigan-based cannabis company Primitiv, along with former NFL star Rob Sims. Primitiv Group is described as "a forward-thinking cannabis and research company," that's "dedicated to the advancement of cannabis as a form of elevated wellness, believing that the plant holds incredible potential as a healing agent," according to its official website. 

In recent years, Primitiv opened several dispensaries, including the group's flagship dispensary in Niles, Michigan, and Primitiv Boston, a wellness-focused cannabis dispensary on High Street in Boston's Waterfront District.

See Also: Former Detroit Lions Calvin Johnson & Rob Sims Visit Their Cannabis Company In Niles Michigan

Johnson led the NFL in receiving yards twice, including a league-record 1,964 yards in 2012. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2021, the first year he was eligible. An advocate of cannabis research, Johnson partnered with Harvard University to study the effects of cannabis on patients with Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE), a degenerative brain disease found in athletes, military veterans, and others with a history of repetitive brain trauma.

 Related Link: NFL Cannabis Policy Shift Toward Embracing CBD Research For Tackling Concussions And Pain

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Photo: Courtesy of Kevind810 via Wikimedia Commons