October 06, 2026
Eric Canha/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Lane Johnson retired the same way he became an Eagle – unexpectedly.
I was there was there in New York City on April 25, 2013, at Radio City Music Hall when the Eagles drafted Lane Johnson fourth overall. And I was as surprised as everyone else when they did it.
Just as I was surprised Tuesday afternoon, when Johnson suddenly, abruptly and somewhat sadly announced his immediate retirement just four weeks into his 14th season.
The irony of Lane Johnson retiring as one of the greatest players in franchise history – one of just four players walking the planet to have the only two Super Bowl rings won by the Eagles – was that he was never even supposed to be an Eagle.
And he surely was never supposed to be a six-time Pro Bowler, two-time All-Pro (should have more), and two-time Super Bowl champion.
The Eagles were supposed to take Oregon pass rusher Dion Jordan that night. Their head coach, Chip Kelly, was the man who had built Oregon into a national powerhouse. He had recruited Jordan to Oregon and coached him before leaving for the Eagles' job.
The Eagles had paid a king's ransom to lure Kelly into replace Andy Reid, and the fourth overall pick would be the first of the Kelly era in South Philly. The first two picks off the board were offensive tackles, making it even more realistic that Kelly would get his guy.
Everyone knew Kelly wanted Jordan, including the Dolphins, who stopped the presses by trading up nine spots with Oakland into No. 3 just so they pull the rug from underneath Kelly at the last second and select Jordan third overall.
The Eagles then defaulted to Johnson, opting for a native Texan who had started his career as a JUCO quarterback before transferring to Oklahoma to play tight end, before another move to defensive end, before another final move to offensive tackle.
Johnson only had two seasons of offensive tackle under his belt when the Eagles made him one of their highest draft picks in franchise history, and that's just the first part of his unpredictable underdog story – and why the dog mask he and Chris Long each wore during the Eagles' run to the first Super Bowl title in team history was so fitting.
Tuesday's news was a gut punch for not only the organization but a passionate fan base that might never be able to forget the impact Johnson made on the team since the day he was drafted – or the ridiculousness of how much one-eleventh of an offense and 1/53rd of a roster could mean across more than a decade; the Eagles' loss to the Rams on Sunday dropped them to 18-30 without Johnson, a 38-percent win clip compared to the 66-percent when he plays.
That one person can tilt the odds so much speaks to the enormity of Johnson's presence. And the unfortunate reality of Johnson missing Sunday's game for personal reasons that he said ultimately led him to calling it quits is that his decision to step away right this moment will get sucked into the tsunami of stunningly bad breaks hitting the Eagles early this season.
Instead of celebrating the final snap of his legendary career the way sports icons should be on their way out, Johnson's retirement becomes part of snowball effect for an Eagles team ravaged by injuries, reeling from a two-game losing streak, and trying to pick up the pieces before they fly to London to face the red-hot Jaguars with their season close to spiraling out of control.
There will be time at some point a time to recognize Johnson's greatness and discuss his place on the mantle of Eagles legends, but right now, the Eagles are on life support, and trying to find a replacement for an irreplaceable player becomes just another iceberg stuck in the rudder of a ship that Nick Sirianni is trying to keep afloat.
As for Johnson, he likewise has some in-house issues to tend to. He has openly discussed his struggle with mental health, a lifelong bout that he will tell you is never truly over. He has a family that he said needs him close by and a body that's been through thousands of wars in the trenches, many of which took him off the field for prolonged stretches, none of which ever made him less than an elite.
And that's the amazing part of the Johnson story that began that night in Manhattan – the guy who was never even supposed to be an Eagle has never been anything but a great one.
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