The Philadelphia Eagles won’t get to give Lane Johnson a proper sendoff. Their All-Pro right tackle announced Tuesday that he’s retiring from the NFL at the age of 36.
Johnson, the No. 4 pick from the 2013 NFL Draft, earned Pro Bowl honors six times during his career with the Eagles. Of course, Philly fans can’t forget that he was part of both Super Bowl runs during the 2017 and 2024 seasons.
Even though Johnson started this season on Philadelphia’s roster, he has decided to walk away from the game to focus on his family and his mental health.
“I have given it my all for 14 years; season after season pushing my body to the max and tirelessly working my craft to not only live up to the legacy of the guys that came before me, but to set a new standard of success for the best franchise in all of sports,” Johnson wrote in his retirement letter. “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 my life have changed. Right now, it is critical that I focus on my mental health. I owe it to my teammates, coaches, the organization and the fans to have my head and heart 100 percent in the game. And right now my heart is telling me that it’s time to say goodbye to football.
“At this time, I have made the incredibly difficult decision to retire from the National Football League. … Thank you to Jeffrey Lurie and the entire Eagles organization for taking a chance on a kid from small-town East Texas, and changing my life forever. And thank you to the many coaches and teammates I’ve had the honor of working with and playing alongside for the past 14 years; ya’ll have become lifelong friends and the brothers that I never had.”
Mitchell Leff/Getty Images
A true Eagles legend.
Immediately after Johnson announced his retirement, Eagles fans bombarded him with encouraging messages.
“We love you, Lane. Thank you for everything. Enjoy your retirement,” one fan said.
“Thank you for everything Lane! We’re gonna miss you,” a second fan wrote.
“Thank you for everything, Lane. You gave us everything. Please take care of yourself and your family,” another Eagles fan commented.
“Love you Lane best RT ever!! Enjoy retirement big fella,” a social media user added.
A strong argument can be made that Johnson was the heart and soul of the Eagles. His absence will undoubtedly impact Nick Sirianni’s offense.
