Eagles Star Lane Johnson Retires Early in the Season

Lane Johnson, a mainstay of the Philadelphia Eagles' offensive line, announced on Tuesday that he is retiring from the National Football League. He shared the news on social media two days after the team's game against the Los Angeles Rams, which he missed.

Reasons

The 36-year-old tackle said his priority now is his family and mental health. During training camp he had already stepped away from the team for a time to be with loved ones. His comments suggested that his mother is dealing with health problems.

Last season, in week ten, Johnson suffered a foot injury and was carted off the field. He did not want his career to end that way, so he returned for one more year. Before the Rams game, word emerged that he would not play, and third-round draftee Markel Bell took the right tackle spot.

Career record

Johnson was selected fourth overall in the 2013 draft. Over 14 seasons he played in 171 regular-season games and 15 playoff games. In 2021 he caught the only touchdown pass of his career. He is a two-time Super Bowl champion, a six-time Pro Bowler, and a two-time first-team and three-time second-team All-Pro. He is regarded as one of the best players at his position and a potential Hall of Fame candidate, although he was caught using performance-enhancing substances early in his career.

The team's situation

In recent years the Eagles' offensive line has been the team's calling card, and since 2017 the club has missed the playoffs only once. This season, however, the unit's performance has slipped. Center Cam Jurgens is battling a back injury, left guard Landon Dickerson has been on the injured list since the season began, and offensive line coach Jeff Stoutland was removed from his post in the offseason. This week the Eagles travel to London to face the Jacksonville Jaguars.