After 10 years and much left in the tank, Detroit Lions tailback Barry Sanders walked away.

And like Sanders, it appears star wideout Calvin Johnson has had enough. Johnson, who finished with over 1,200 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns this season, admitted he’s been brooding with thoughts of retirement.

Johnson is obviously worried about his health. Over the past few seasons, he’s missed numerous games and practices, nursing an injured ankle and other ailments.

But this extends beyond self-preservation. If the Lions were a contender and were on the brink of accomplishing something spectacular, he’d be more opt to staying. He’d want to give it one last shot. He’d be open to restructuring his contract and role, and wouldn’t be openly considering retirement just yet.

Unfortunately, though, Detroit is a long way away from the Super Bowl. If he goes through with retirement, this will be the second potential hall of fame player Detroit will witness walk away prematurely. And it’s an indictment, nonetheless.

Detroit never surrounded Sanders with a decent supporting cast. There was never a stable quarterback to guide the team, and multiple coaches couldn’t get the job done. While Johnson experienced a QB dilemma early in his career, he’s faced more of the coaching issues. If Johnson sticks around and Caldwell gets fired, the new coach will be Johnson’s fourth in nine years.

Morale has to be considered just as much as a player’s health is. There’s only so much losing and scrutiny an athlete can endure. And experiencing multiple paining losses and a miserable 0-16 season isn’t exactly encouraging, either.

Johnson and Sanders, though revered players, are also signs of Detroit’s incompetence. Why would these guys want to damage their bodies for losing seasons? An inept organization like the Lions isn’t worth it. It’s a merry-go-round of failure. If it’s heading toward some unknown change, that’d mystify the masses. But as of now, Johnson needs to do what’s best for himself and his well-being.

The Lions didn’t do enough to help Johnson or Sanders. Whether it was a lack of talent or senseless coaches, these players deserved more help. If the Lions cared about winning, they would have made moves much sooner than they did. They would have tried to appoint the right people. They would have demanded more.

Detroit fans were enraged when Sanders walked away so unexpectedly — and understandably so. Johnson’s taking the classier route — though, in all honesty, this pitiful franchise doesn’t deserve a morsel of his class. If he’s to retire, no one should nurse any resentment. The man laid it all out on the field and valued bringing this starved fanbase a championship more than he did the dollar signs.