Maybe Matthew Stafford is putting too much zip on the fastball.

The Detroit Lions sidelined wide receiver Calvin Johnson on Sunday, after it became even more noticeable that the third-year All-World athlete was suffering from a hand injury.

Johnson jammed the thumb on his right hand earlier this week, and team trainers removed him from practice. Johnson had dropped a few passes earlier in the day, and it was evident that it was affecting his performance.

"We haven’t tested it yet but it’s sore," explained head coach Jim Schwartz. "It’s something he’s been battling a little bit. He jammed his thumb and I sort of pulled him (out practice). He’s the sort of guy that we have to pull out of practice. He doesn’t want to stop, he always wants to finish.

"Sometimes it’s best to take his helmet away from him and say, ‘Hey look, let’s let this thing rest,’ or ‘Let’s take our time on it.’ Unless I hear something different, it’s just a jam. He wanted to continue, but we just took him out."

The Lions will have Johnson's thumb examined on Monday, and he's currently listed as day-to-day.

Johnson departed practice on the same day the team welcomed back rookie tight end Brandon Pettigrew, who had missed nearly a week of scheduled practices.