Philadelphia Eagles legend and two-time Super Bowl champion Lane Johnson stunningly announced his retirement from the NFL on Tuesday.
Johnson, 36, was a surprise inactive in the Eagles’ 24-20 loss to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, and it came out that he was out for unexpected personal reasons. Johnson announced in a statement that he is focusing on his mental health.
“Philadelphia. You truly are the City of Brotherly Love. The best fans and the most prideful city in the entire world. 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 said in a statement.
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“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.”
Johnson was a member of the Eagles’ two Super Bowl-winning teams in 2017 and 2024 and called those rides up Broad Street the ultimate privilege. He thanked the entire Eagles organization for taking a chance on him and the coaches and teammates he played alongside during his 14-year career.
“Right now, what’s most important to me is continuing to focus on my mental health and spending more time with my kids and family,” Johnson said.
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“But Philadelphia will always be home, and I will forever be an Eagle. Thank you for the love and the enduring support.”
The love is reciprocal as owner Jeffery Lurie called him an “all-time Eagle.”
“Lane Johnson is an all-time Eagle and one of the best players ever to play his position in NFL history. Lane was a major contributor to our team success for 14 seasons, helping to bring two Super Bowl championships and many other memorable moments to the organization and the city of Philadelphia,” Lurie said in a statement.
“Beyond his on-field accomplishments, Lane has done a tremendous amount to give back to the community through his numerous charitable endeavors. The courage he has shown using his own personal experiences to advocate for mental health awareness has undoubtedly saved lives. We appreciate everything Lane has contributed to our organization, and we wish him and his family nothing but the best.”
The Eagles will sorely miss Johnson, as they were 98-42-1 in games he played during his career and just 15-29 when he was out of the lineup. In his 14 seasons, he made the Pro Bowl six times.
Johnson was limited to 10 games last season because of an injury, but he had played in all three games prior to missing the Rams game. The Eagles selected Johnson with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft out of Oklahoma, and the Texas native emerged as one of the best right tackles in the sport during his career.
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