Eagles on Lane Johnson’s sudden retirement: ‘I’ll miss him dearly’
Offensive lineman Lane Johnson is a Philadelphia Eagles legend.
He has won two Super Bowls and is a six-time Pro Bowl selection.
Four games into his 14th NFL season — all spent with the team that selected him with the fourth overall pick in the 2013 draft — Johnson has decided that he’s done.
“I deeply wanted to gut it out for one more year; to take the field with my brothers for one last season,” Johnson said in a statement posted Tuesday on social media.
“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.”
Johnson took a three-game leave of absence during the 2021 season as he battled anxiety and depression and has said he considered retirement during the offseason after a foot injury caused him to miss the Eagles’ final eight games last year. He was a late scratch for last Sunday’s game against the Rams for personal reasons.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, coach Nick Sirianni said Johnson was a “phenomenal player” and much more.
“I love Lane. I’ll miss him dearly and I wish him the best,” Siranni said. “Just want him to be his best. Like I said, love him and everything that he stood for and everything he is.”
Rookie Markel Bell started in Johnson’s place on Sunday, and Sirianni suggested the third-round pick will remain in the spot vacated by Johnson.
“I’m really excited for Markel’s opportunity,” Sirianni said. “Thought under the circumstances of last week that he handled that really well. And I’m excited about the growth that he’s going to be able to have this year. I’m excited for him.”
In a statement released on Tuesday, team owner Jeffrey Lurie called Johnson “an all-time Eagle and one of the best players ever to play his position in NFL history.”
“His combination of talent, strength, athleticism and intelligence made him a truly unique player in this league, and there is no doubt in my mind that one day he will be named to the Pro Football Hall of Fame,” Lurie said.
“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.”
Retired Eagles center Jason Kelce, who played 11 seasons with Johnson, wrote a lengthy tribute to his former teammate on X.
“For the past decade, Lane has been the best Right tackle in the NFL,” Kelce wrote. “His athleticism, technique, strength, and size, combined to make him a player few could get around. His pass set and movements looked more like an art than someone who punched people for a living. It was a pure joy to watch him play for all these years, but even more so, it was a pure joy to be his friend.”
Kelce added: “Congratulations on retirement, I loved every second of watching you play, and am proud that I got to share the field with you.”
Tight end Zach Ertz, who recently re-signed with the Eagles after playing for them from 2013 to 2021, posted several pictures of himself and Johnson on X and wrote “every step of the way.”
Left tackle Jordan Mailata told WIP-FM (94.1) in Philadelphia he was “still kinda shocked” by Johnson’s decision.
“I just think about how much I’m going to miss him going forward,” Mailata said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.