Eagles top performer right tackle Lane Johnson announced his retirement from the NFL in a social media post on Tuesday, October 6, 2026.
Johnson, who had weighed retirement this offseason, surprised many with his absence from Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams.
The team did not know until that morning that Johnson wouldn’t play.
Announcing the retirement, Johnson shared a post on his Instagram, writing, “I deeply wanted to gut it out for one more year; to take the field with my brothers for one last season.”
While revealing that the situation has led to mounting stress and forced him to change life goals, adding, “But after a lot of reflection, I’ve realised that my personal and family priorities have changed. Right now it’s critical that I focus on my mental health.”
“I owe it to my teammates, coaches, the organisation 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 concluded.
Rookie Markel Bell joined the team as a replacement for him.
Multiple reports suggest that Bell is most likely the replacement for Johnson in the lineup for the rest of the season as the Philadelphia Eagles currently stand at 2-2.
Johnson, 36, has stitched together a Hall of Fame-worthy career since being picked fourth in the 2013 draft by the Eagles out of Oklahoma.
He has been selected as a Pro Bowl six times and received first-team All-Pro honours twice while helping the Eagles to a pair of Super Bowl titles, the two only the Eagles have won so far.
2026-10-07 12:59:00
