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Calvin Johnson or Randy Moss?
It’s a question Nate Burleson’s been asked too many times to count – even by his own brothers.
Burleson, the Lions’ No. 2 receiver, has played sidekick to either Johnson or Moss for six of his 10 NFL seasons. He saw Johnson have the greatest year ever by a Lions pass catcher last fall, and Moss have arguably his best season ever as a Viking in 2003.
“When I was playing with Randy I thought to myself, ‘I will never play with another receiver like this. He’s the best I’ve ever seen,’” Burleson said. “And now that I’m playing with Calvin I say, ‘I’ll never play with another receiver like this. He’s the best I’ve ever seen.’
“At the end of the day, you’re going to be able to put in their career highlight tapes and it’s going to be up to the discretion of the viewer who was better. My opinion, whew, I’m going to have to go with my guy that I’m playing with now. Calvin, he’s an absolute monster, he’s a freak of nature. But they’re both going to go down in history as the biggest threats of all-time.”
Burleson said the topic comes up at his house in the off-season, his brothers regularly argue for Moss, who the Lions will see Sunday in San Francisco.
“We pop in the tape and there’s days that I waiver when I see Moss highlights and then I’ll call them back during the summer and I’ll say, ‘Nah, you should have saw this play that Calvin made today. He’s a living legend,’” Burleson said. “I’m just fortunate enough to play the Robin to their Batman. I’ve been aside two greats and I’m going to continue to eat the crumbs off their plates.”
Johnson, who returned to practice today after sitting out Wednesday with a sore foot, said he was a huge Moss fan growing up and still regards him as one of the NFL’s all-time great receivers.
“He’s definitely up there,” Johnson said. “He’s definitely one of the best playmaking receivers that’s come through in a long time.”