PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — After more than 13 years in midnight green, Eagles offensive tackle Lane Johnson has announced his retirement from the NFL.
In a social media post, Johnson said, “I deeply wanted to gut it out for one more year, to take the field with my brothers for one last season. But after a lot of reflection, I've realized that my personal and family priorities in life have changed. Right now, it's critical that I focus on my mental health.”
The Eagles drafted Johnson fourth overall in 2013, needing a savior after a dreadful 4-12 season that led to the firing of head coach Andy Reid — and he was nothing short of that.
Johnson played 171 games in the NFL, seldom allowing a sack. He helped stoke the underdog attitude on the Eagles' path to their first Super Bowl win, donning a German shepherd mask after the Birds beat the Atlanta Falcons in the 2017 divisional game at Lincoln Financial Field.
He was already a franchise legend when fellow offensive tackle Jordan Mailata showed up in 2018 as a seventh round pick who hadn’t played football before.
“I’ve never seen anybody work as hard as he works,” Mailata told 94WIP after hearing the news. “Even in meetings, he was always doing something to strengthen a body part of his and he taught me a lot about the routine.”
He has weathered injuries and a suspension for performing-enhancing drugs, and been vocal about his mental health struggles.
Johnson is retiring as a career Eagle, a two-time Super Bowl champion, five-time All-Pro, six-time Pro Bowler and one of the league's best right tackles for more than a decade. He is also one of only four Eagles to be a part of both Super Bowl-winning teams — and the only offensive player who can say that.
Johnson spent all 14 of his NFL seasons as an Eagle
Johnson spent all 14 of his NFL seasons as an Eagle
