Dec 27, 2015; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson (81) warms up before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports

Calvin Johnson was apparently waiting all this time for the right moment.

The retired Detroit Lions franchise great Johnson went viral for the message that he sent to the team on Sunday. Back in Jan. 2021, the six-time Pro Bowl receiver Johnson was named a finalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame (he was eventually elected to the Hall in February of that same year). The Lions sent Johnson a congratulatory message at the time from their official page on X (then known as Twitter).

Congrats, @calvinjohnsonjr❗️ pic.twitter.com/vnq6CzbgEN

— Detroit Lions (@Lions) January 5, 2021

Interestingly enough, Johnson waited until Sunday, nearly three full years later, to publicly acknowledge the post.

‘Much appreciated,” wrote Johnson. “Thanks for the continuous support! Love my city!”

Much appreciated. Thanks for the continuous support! Love my city!

— Calvin Johnson Jr. (@calvinjohnsonjr) December 24, 2023

What was the significant of the timing, you ask? The Lions officially clinched the NFC North on Sunday with a 30-24 victory over the Minnesota Vikings. It marks Detroit’s first time winning the division since 1993 (and led to many current players on the team getting very emotional).

Johnson played his entire NFL career in Detroit from 2007-15. But he retired abruptly at the age of 30 and maintained a longstanding beef with the Lions over the years, supposedly over the team forcing him to pay back part of his signing bonus after he walked away. You can read more about their feud here.

In withholding his response for so long, either Johnson didn’t want to jinx anything for his former team or he was on some Alec Baldwin in “Glengarry Glen Ross” energy of needing Detroit to be winners before he acknowledged them again. Whatever the case may be, the Lions finally appear to be back in Megatron’s good graces.