Shortly earlier than the Seattle Seahawks coolly dispatched of the Philadelphia Eagles on “Monday Evening Soccer,” Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz had a message for Seahawks wideout DK Metcalf. In keeping with Metcalf, Schwartz — who was the top coach of the Detroit Lions from 2009 by way of 2013 — advised Metcalf that he was “not fairly there but” compared to former Lions star Calvin Johnson. 

Metcalf apparently took that personally, and took it out on Schwartz’s protection with a 10-catch, 177-yard recreation. In keeping with Schwartz, although, he was merely attempting to pay Metcalf a praise by evaluating him to top-of-the-line receivers in NFL historical past. 

“In my thoughts, it is a bit bit humorous. Anytime you even communicate any person’s identify in the identical sentence as Calvin Johnson, I do not know how one can take offense to that,” Schwartz stated. “[I] stated I might learn his story, knew he’d overcome damage, knew he was a had employee, stated he jogged my memory a bit little bit of Calvin, congratulated him after the sport. And on the time he advised me, ‘Hey, thanks coach, which means rather a lot to me.'”

Schwartz did not cease there, noting Johnson’s significance to each his personal profession and his household.

“You simply have to grasp simply how a lot esteem I maintain Calvin in,” Schwartz stated. “The best honor of my teaching profession was teaching that man day in and time out. He is meant rather a lot to my children and my household and all the things else. So I attempted to pay a man a praise.”

How Metcalf chooses to get his motivation is his personal enterprise. Being in the identical sentence as Calvin Johnson is actually an honor, however being advised you are “not fairly there but” compared to him in all probability is not one. Both method, Metcalf appears like he is effectively on his method to a wonderful profession — one which will the truth is resemble Johnson’s, if the younger wideout’s manufacturing in his first two seasons is any indication. And perhaps some day, some assistant coach will probably be telling a younger wideout that he is “not fairly there but” compared to Metcalf.