There was a moment when the recognition of what he has accomplished hit Amon-Ra St. Brown.

Three seasons of being among the leaders in receptions among wide receivers validates how he ranks among the leaders in the NFL.

So does the lucrative contract extension he has signed. And so does the respect he gets from teammates for his tireless work ethic and drive to get better every day.

He allowed himself to enjoy a rare moment of self-reflection and tell himself ‘I did it.’

It is out of character for St. Brown to brag about himself, but there is no doubt that he belongs among the NFL’s stars. He has earned that moment.

“I was in a car by myself,” he said in a press conference at the Lions’ Allen Park headquarters. “I was at Ford Field and then had to go back home. My Dad called me and I talked to him for about two minutes.

“He told me how excited he was and proud of me he was. And then one of my best friends texted me. I was close to crying but I didn’t. I was just super excited.

“I felt like a lot of weight has been lifted off my shoulders.”

St. Brown has been one of the leaders in the Lions’ three-year rise from the bottom of the NFC North to the top.

“The whole journey that I’ve had is surprising, just being here with the guys that came in,” he said. “A lot of the nucleus is still here.

“For me, it’s like a Cinderella story. The whole journey, it seems unreal.”