National Football League

Megatron has surgery on knee, finger

Published Jan. 15, 2014 10:05 p.m. ET

foxsports

Two days into his tenure as Lions' head coach, is Jim Caldwell already in panic mode? After all, surgery for arguably the best player in the league could do that to a coach.

Detroit general manager Martin Mayhew told reporters Wednesday that wide receiver Calvin Johnson recently had surgeries on his right knee and a finger.

But not to worry, Mayhew insisted — Johnson's knee surgery was a relatively minor arthroscopic procedure.

Johnson missed two games last season because of his knee ailment. He finished with 1,492 yards receiving and 12 touchdowns, earning All-Pro honors for the third straight season. Johnson pulled out of the Pro Bowl because of his injuries and was replaced by Chicago's Alshon Jeffery.

Caldwell was hired by the Lions on Tuesday, replacing Jim Schwartz. Caldwell coached the Colts for three seasons, leading Indianapolis to the Super Bowl in his first season, ultimately losing to New Orleans. He lasted two more seasons in Indy, but was fired following a 2-14 season in 2011, the season Peyton Manning missed with a neck injury.

Caldwell spent the last two seasons in Baltimore, initially serving as quarterbacks coach before being promoted to offensive coordinator during the 2012 season, which ended with the Ravens winning the Super Bowl.

The Lions were 7-9 this past season.